thoughts on why some Hillstream's die, and other similar live???

[Magnum Man]

I'm starting to wonder if Hillstream loaches are prone to the same issues as Oto's had / have, where they literally starve to death, during the import process... I know that some have complained about them, not lasting long... my personal problem, has been trying to keep larger "saddle back's", that I've bought twice, with poor results, yet I got a pair in quite a while ago, that came in so small they were like toothpicks... both of those two have been thriving, and are now half as big, as the large ones I bought before... maybe getting them smaller, is easier to keep them in transport??? Also I'm expecting that "aufwucks" varies by composition from location to location, and probably quite a bit between the amazon, and mountain streams in cooler water, and while I'm encouraging bio film / algae growth in my hillstream tank, it's likely far from what it would be, in wild mountain streams... I supplement as best I can , using Bacter AE, and Bug Bites, that I dust with a mortar and pestal... I've also been blending in the mortar, a small portion of 50% protein fry food, and add spirulina tabs....
I really enjoy seeing my lil saddlebacks growing and thriving in my tank, and there is such diversity in this tank... just doing my best to maintain that...

 

[Magnum Man]

interestingly, I did a www. search for hillstream loach food, and found nothing specifically listed for them... the repashi soilient green is supposed to replicate aufwucks, but I think that is done genericly, as I suspect there is a big difference between tropical and mountain stream aufwucks composition...

my search did turn up a gelling food I have never seen, but it's just listed as an ominvour food, not specifically for mountainous aufwucks eaters...

I think dusting the bug bites goes a long way towards improving my sterile tank algae... of which I got the idea, from the BacterAE... I've not witnessed any negatives in doing this for the tank or filters, in over a year

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I would try the Soilent green. I have bn loving it, shrimp attacking it and even some of my corys go after it. I even see some of the mid/top water swimmers eat it. I also use Ebo Aquaristik foods from Germany. In my last order I tried some of their spirulina product and my fish love it. The same ones who eat the Soilent go after it. I got the small size which I also do for heir brine shrimp product that one can get in very fine granules. All in all I am satisfied with the food but, it is not cheap.

You can paint the Soilent on rocks or wood before it gels if you want. Be prepared for other fish, snails and shrimp to go after it.

 

[Magnum Man]

yes, I also use the repashi soilient green product... I used to paint sticks, but then bought a 1/4 inch size silicone ice cube tray, and make small cubes up ahead of time, and put them in the freezer, then thaw and feed...

this is one of the little saddle backs working the glass, freshly dusted with bug bites...

 

[GaryE]

The best solution in my unpopular opinion would be more with the stocking than the food. It's been my experience that when you combine closely related fish that share the same ecological niche, they compete, and that competition causes a gradual slow attrition. Whichever hillstream loach is better adapted to the tank you have will outcompete the others, whose adaptations may be to a slightly different habitat.

These species don't occur together in nature, and artificially creating a community of competitors is going to have a kind of predictable result. It may not matter with tetras or shoalers, but hillstream loaches can be territorial and can be a bit different from each other while needing the same diet.

A whole range of stressors kick in with a tank like that. I've learned that with even very unaggressive, unterritorial fish like my Corydoras group species. One always does better when you mix species.

I only have one tank with mixed "Cory" species (I have some Hoplisoma and Brochis in a 6 foot tank). My solution is the one no one wants - watch who isn't thriving. Remove them to their own tank, or watch them lose out.

And so, I have ended up with a lot of tanks, as the price of my curiosity. I'm glad I haven't gotten into hillstreams, but killies and Cichlids, as well as a few catfish and tetras have really created a MTS set up here....

 

[Magnum Man]

@GaryE ... while that may be true, it's amazing how many will thrive together... often times, I'll see 4-5 different varieties on a pagoda roof, at the same time, seemingly with no issues between them,,,

 

[GaryE]

I wouldn't expect fighting. Thriving to me is getting to a robust old age, whatever that is for hillstreams. Often multi-species set ups like yours produce a slower process of deaths, and of some species doing poorly compared to others.

It's something you see over time, if you see it at all. It's one possible explanation for what you asked about in the original post.

 

[fishorama]

I've read the saddleback (homaloptera species) can be difficult. I don't remember any details if they were given. I think starting with young smaller fish it good. Adult fish may be old or less able to adapt to our tank conditions & foods offered.