Loaches and planted tanks

[Jen]

My tank is on it's way to being heavily planted. I wa thinking of getting a few loaches... maybe yoyo. Would they dig up my plants, or would I be ok?

 

[The-Wolf]

mot botias do indeed dig up plants when looking for food.
you need to decide if continually replanting plants is what you want to do.
I'm always replanting my amazon swords in my loach tank, but It don't bother me too much.

 

[Jen]

Hmmm. Maybe I'll hold off for a while then. It wouldn't bug me to re plant things, it seems like I have my arm in there every other day as it is, but I'll wait until things start to take hold with the co2 and the ferts before I look at fish that will thwart all my hard work.

Thanks

 

[Lateral Line]

I think it depends on your substrate. Plants, especially small foreground plants, are much better able to anchor themselves in fine substrates. I have Botias in my planted tanks and have no serious problem with uprooting.

When I had gravel, big bouyant plants like Ceratopteris ferns or big swords were forever floating about, and Eleocharis etc. was not really possible.

I'd wait until your plants are really well established before adding "grubbers", but would not preclude keeping them.

 

[IMCL85]

get zebra loaches instead they tend to stay small so odds is that they wouldn't be able to reach as deep as the other bigger loaches species like clown or orange fin.

 

[millym]

hi
we have 2 yoyos in a planted tank & they are a bit partial to a spot of gardening now & again but its not a major problem. although i did once try to put a small plant in front of lucy loaches favourite cave once & every morning it had been dug up - this went on for about 3 weeks before i gave up - i guess she just didnt like it there