BOTIA STRIATA!! BOTIA STRIATA!!

[MAM]

just a personal jumping for joy here. i fell i love with botia striata (zebra loach) many months ago, but didn't have the set up for them. then i finally got a larger tank, but no store in town sold them. i had found some online that i was going to order this fall (too hot now to have fish shipped here, i couldn't do that..). but the other day, as i was waiting for someone to get my new dwarf puffer additions for me, i spied my botia striata!!!!! i just about did a happy dance right there in front of the tank going back this weekend to pick up 3 or 4 or 5........ i just love these little guys and can't wait to add them to my fishy family

 

[Lateral Line]

Nice MAM, always nice to locate a fish you've been after! Now if I can just find some Barbus hulstaerti - only been trying to get hold of these for about 30 years! Anyway, B. striata are quite a small species, only getting to 3-4"/75-100mm and one of the more docile members of the genus. The markings vary a lot, so if you are on good terms with your fish shop, pick ones you like! (My LFS knows me well and always allows me to catch my own).

Good luck with them. I see you've shortened your name!

 

[MAM]

lat, i changed it a while ago................

maybe someday you'll be able to post a happy dance when you find your long sought after fish

they won't let me catch them myself (though with some of the clerks, i'd prefer to......), but they will let me point out the ones.

*MAM continues to do a little happy dance*

 

[ryan]

As I said MAM, that is great news, they are lovely species and one no Loach keeper should be without IMO. Best of luck, and Lateral I am sure those Barbs will wing their way to you one day.

 

[jams.alaskan]

What a great find! Hope they work out for you.

ALASKA

 

[krazitrain]

Hey.. I just picked up a zebra loach yesterday. Was looking online too for them, but got lucky someone traded in 3 to a local fish shop.

I just hope he comes out from hiding soon. My other 2 loaches are all over the place. I figured I'd see him emerge by now, but havn't.

 

[ryan]

Hey.. I just picked up a zebra loach yesterday. Was looking online too for them, but got lucky someone traded in 3 to a local fish shop.

I just hope he comes out from hiding soon. My other 2 loaches are all over the place. I figured I'd see him emerge by now, but havn't.

Have you only brought one fish? Like most members of the genus they do better with members of their own species which may explain why he is hiding especailly if he is used to the company of others, if I was you i would purchase the other two as well as a group of three is generally advised.

 

[MAM]

I BOUGHT THEM! I BOUGHT THEM!!!!
i know no one really cares but i am just so excited. i got four of them yesterday. they are settling in nicely. been chasing my tuxedo platy a bit but otherwise doing great. now, if they'd just hold still long enough for me to get some pictures......

 

[ryan]

I BOUGHT THEM! I BOUGHT THEM!!!!
i know no one really cares but i am just so excited. i got four of them yesterday. they are settling in nicely. been chasing my tuxedo platy a bit but otherwise doing great. now, if they'd just hold still long enough for me to get some pictures......

Great to hear MAM, congratulations on finally finding them.

 

[Red]

I have half a dozen of these lovely little fish - very, VERY sociable and will come to the top to snatch frozen blood worms from my fingers. Also they get along fine with the clowns in the same tank and dance up against the glass when they see me (and the food) coming.

Lets hear it for "Einstein, Miss Lintel, Plato, Edison, Stephen Hawking and Darwin".

I wuv my loaches!

 

[The-Wolf]

OMG OMG OMG, RED!
your back!

I missed you hun;
but why drag up an old post

 

[Cichlid_number_one]

I have half a dozen of these lovely little fish - very, VERY sociable and will come to the top to snatch frozen blood worms from my fingers. Also they get along fine with the clowns in the same tank and dance up against the glass when they see me (and the food) coming.

Lets hear it for "Einstein, Miss Lintel, Plato, Edison, Stephen Hawking and Darwin".

I wuv my loaches!

Dear Red,

I've set up a new tank and thinking of getting some loaches also. I wonder if they would eat the eggs of breeding cichlids tho if they're able to rid a tank of snails?

Rory, Glasgow.

 

[TammyLiz]

Welcome to the forum Cichlid_number_one!

As far as breeding cichlids goes, it wouldn't be ideal. It may work, depending on how good the parents were. What kind of cichlids are you planning on breeding? The loaches would certainly cause them some grief, at the very least.

Wow, I think this thread could be the worlds oldest--almost two years!

 

[Cichlid_number_one]

Welcome to the forum Cichlid_number_one!

As far as breeding cichlids goes, it wouldn't be ideal. It may work, depending on how good the parents were. What kind of cichlids are you planning on breeding? The loaches would certainly cause them some grief, at the very least.

Wow, I think this thread could be the worlds oldest--almost two years!

Thanks for your reply Tammy. I'm thinking of apistogramma dwarf cichlids with skunk loaches botia morleti, that is the beige ones with a black stripe along the top. They don't grow as big as clown loaches. The tank is 18" x 18" x 30". The things I like about loaches are they are so livey, the smooth skin is beautiful, and they eat from your hand after a while. Also the polkadot loach Botia kubotai is quite striking.

 

[TammyLiz]

Be aware that skunks are known to be a lot more aggressive than other botia-type loaches. I have watched them in the petstore and they can be downright mean. They make fish much larger than themselves back off. Kubotai are more peaceful, and would be a better choice, in my opinion. The tank size is perfect for them. If you see rostrata or striata available, they would also be good choices.