Hmmmm what loaches for my new tank?

[Cheese Specialist]

Hey,

I have always been a big loach fan and I am setting up a 2ft cube tank (50UK gallons) and I would like your ideas about what loaches could go in there.

There will be 2 koi angels and 6 (or so) cardinal tetra in there too. I would preferably like loaches I have already got and like the look of horse-faced loaches (was looking at ryan's pics the other day ).

I already have:

4 Kuhlis, 4 clowns and 2 weather loaches. As well as a hillstream tank.

The tank will be fairly planted and will be running on an external 1000lph filter with sand substrate.

I considered a plec or different catfish but I'd like loaches.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Thanks for all your advice.

 

[modernhamlet]

Do you mean you want to move some loaches from a current tank or buy more like the ones you already have?

What tanks are all your loaches in? Are any of them unhappy in their current tank?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Do you mean you want to move some loaches from a current tank or buy more like the ones you already have?

What tanks are all your loaches in? Are any of them unhappy in their current tank?

Sorry, stupidly worded my post.

I want different loaches to the ones I have already. My loaches all seem very happy where they are.

Thanks for replying

 

[smithrc]

Do you mean you want to move some loaches from a current tank or buy more like the ones you already have?

What tanks are all your loaches in? Are any of them unhappy in their current tank?

Sorry, stupidly worded my post.

I want different loaches to the ones I have already. My loaches all seem very happy where they are.

Thanks for replying

how abouy getting a couple more plecs and trying to breed them ?? - just an idea.

 

[smithrc]

Is Brucilla a Leopard Frog Pleco (L134)?

you could get a couple more of them

 

[ayla]

Loaches Woo Hoo!
What about a Hora Loach (Skunk botia) or one of those Sun Loaches? Simple patterned...but it's a pretty cool simple patterns.
Or...a Striped Zebra Loach (botia striata)? I love the pattern in these ones...wicked awesome.
Or, or...an Dojo Loach, the albino one...or golden...(The LFS were selling some as Gold Dojo Loaches but they looked sorta pink to me) anyhoots...yeah they're awesome too.

 

[JamesTasker]

Horse-faced loaches can get pretty big - 8in maximum i think. If you wanted something a bit smaller, you could go with a shoal of chain loaches, which are quite active i think, but might be harder to find than the horse-faced ones.

 

[ryan]

Check out me 'Loaches and more Loaches' thread in Memeber Pics there are some good Loaches that would go well in a community tank there.

Here they are:

Botia Striata

Clown Loaches

Horsefaced Loaches

Polkadot Loaches (Botia Angelicus)

Khuli Loach

Chain Loach (Botia sidthimunki)

Botia Dario

How is the Hillstream Loach Tank going, any news?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Hi,

One of the plecs is a L134 (Brucilla ) but I don't fancy breeding plecs in the tank, they'd mess with my plants too much! I am looking to breed plecs in a few months but in a species tank.

I like the polkadot loach, also the almorae and chain. I would have like kuhli loaches but I don't see mine except for feeding time. I'd like to avoid anythig that grows too big because of distruption to plants, so I suppose horsefaced are a no no. Shame, I like them. Maybe I could get some for another tank.

I also considered adding some otos to the set up because I really like them and already have 4 in my 160litre.

Hmmmmm

 

[ryan]

My Horsefaced Loaches are 8" each and cause no disturbance to the plants what so ever. Yo yo Loaches and Polkadots would be fine, but I wouldn't advise keeping the smaller Chain Loach (Botia sidthimunki) with them as IME the larger Loaches tend to be too active and large for them, they like peaceful, lightly stocked tanks where they are the source of activity and they can dart around and play on their own.

 

[suemack]

that tank sounds as though it's going to be very interesting

What sort of loaches are available in your area Dana? We don't get a great selection though occassionally a wee treasure like my little batik loach comes in

sue

 

[ryan]

that tank sounds as though it's going to be very interesting

What sort of loaches are available in your area Dana? We don't get a great selection though occassionally a wee treasure like my little batik loach comes in

sue

Very nice Batik Loach (The dude) too. I hardly ever seen rare Botia near me I normally have to travel or order to get some rare species, but we will all agree that all Loaches are great!!

 

[Cheese Specialist]

My Horsefaced Loaches are 8" each and cause no disturbance to the plants what so ever. Yo yo Loaches and Polkadots would be fine, but I wouldn't advise keeping the smaller Chain Loach (Botia sidthimunki) with them as IME the larger Loaches tend to be too active and large for them, they like peaceful, lightly stocked tanks where they are the source of activity and they can dart around and play on their own.

I was planning on keeping only one species of loach in this tank. The other tank mates will be 2 young koi angels and 6-8 cardinal tetra. Was maybe considering adding perhaps 4 otos as well.

There are not many loaches available to me locally so it's whatever Tri-Mar have in. I would like a less chunky species of loach I think, perhaps long and thin or small like the chain loach.

The hillstream tank is grand Ryan, added the final touch of some plants yesterday (malayan swords). Haven't heard back from Monty about what species he has yet.

 

[ryan]

Sounds great, keep your eye open for some nice Loaches. I group of Chain Loaches or Horsefaced Loaches would look great, Chains are always active and playing and I know Monty has them in.