Hillstream Loach

[smidge]

Hi-ya,

Just wanted to check if anyone knew what hillstream loaches would like/need to be happy in my tank.
Driftwood or stones etc?

 

[The-Wolf]

anything with a large flat surface as they like to graze
on the micro-organisums that will grow on there.
cobblestones are great for them

 

[smidge]

ok thanks. I'll see if I can find anywhere that would sell this as my LPS don't have much decor things apart from novelty ones.

 

[The-Wolf]

try a builders merchants like travis perkins etc for cobblestones
they may have them labled as "large pebbles"

 

[andyj]

My local garden centre sells bags of 'Scottish Pebbles' for £5.50.... 25kg of them !!!

Much cheaper than the LFS which is part of the same place !!!!

 

[smidge]

I'll give them a go.
Can I get any kind of pebbles coz I read somewhere that I can't use ones that have bits of metal in them!

Should I arrange them like a cave kind of thing or just place them next to each other.

sorry about all the questions but I just want them to be as happy as possible

 

[Phantom Thief]

If i were you, i'd get a few nice, fairly large, flat-surfeaced stones. Then, put a few stones in each of 3 or 4 containers. Put each container in the sun with tank water, and let them grow algae. Use one container's worth of stones in the aquarium per day. Thats the best deco i can think of, they make the loach happy, and feed it at the same time!

P.T.

 

[smidge]

I will give it a try when we get some sun, as its a bit limited here in Scotland.

Thanks