Loaches Online Forum

It seems that the weather loach gals in my 29 gal tank are all ready for a fellow - they are getting round. I have 3 female common weather loaches in varying stages of hugeness - the biggest one is almost a full inch in diameter. I will try to post pics in a day or so. I also have 2 albino loaches t...

Admittedly, as a vegetarian, anti-death big old softie, I may be over-the-top with this; but the couple of times I have had to euthanize a pet I felt that I wanted the creature (dog, fish, whatever) to go slowly, calmly, painlessly, and gently to "sleep". Whacking, decapitating, alcohol burning, hea...

That was a little harsh - the sand was cleaned and added over 2 months ago. No, the filters weren't RUNNING. The powerhead died about 2 weeks later, and the 2 Bio-wheels (I am poor, I got them on sale, so I had 2) died consecutively. I have been using partial water changes. I had tried putting some ...

now my question is, what do I do about filters?

I added a bag of fine sand to my loachie tank, and first the powerhead succumbed to the grit in the water, then both of my hang-on-back filters died - not totally but the impeller (guess that is the name) - part that pulls the water - came apart and isn't turning. Any suggestions?

Just take a peek (no login or password, just 'ok')

http://63.196.212.27:91/

try not to eat the household bandwidth (sand has gotten stirred up so its a little cloudy today)

4 monster dojo
6 black kuhli
1 kuhli
1 albino

What about proposing a "Loaches for Dummies" or "Idiots guide to Loaches" or even a slightly less commercial title? I believe Loaches are going to be the popular fish of the 21st Century. They are too cool to be ignored!

My Dojos and the hiding Khuli were getting bruised noses from the coarse gravel, so today while I was at work, my boyfriend tried to switch the gravel to sand, except for about a half inch. The sand is taking forever to settle. Is this going to be bad for them? I thought it would be ok to just scoop...

I found this site that seems to have a large selection of bulk foods:

http://kensfish.com/index.html

I wonder if we can talk them into formulating some loach foods - maybe a clown formula, dojo formula, etc.? Loaches are getting so popular, it seems like the market might be out there...

I think - not entirely certain - that I paid around $7 for the 3.7 oz container at the nearby Petco (keeping in mind that everything in San Francisco is outragously overpriced). I just did a web search and a couple places that sell it seem to average about $6.99 - for the small 3.7 oz. The larger 7....

I came home a few days ago with a container of Tetra Jumbomin Food Sticks "The Live Food Alternative" for aggressive carnivorous fish. I bought it because the back stated that the sticks (literally, 1" x .25") soften and drop and are good for loaches. I have 4 Dojos and a Kuhli and WOWW to say fish ...

that is one cute round yoyo

I saw hermit sand at the store, but the fact that it is supposed to be used (for calcium?) by the crabs makes me think it would dissolve and mess with the water. But maybe that would be good? Would it make the water better that way or would it be like "hard water" with limestone?

Emily

I am looking ahead to upgrading a tank for the loaches and I have been looking around but have not seen sand available for aquariums. What sort of sand do you all safely use for loaches?

Any info appreciated!

Emily

Well by the time I got home from work, the white substance was gone, except for a very very small area. That was gone by morning, all eaten I expect. They all seemed happy and healthy - by the way, I was implying not eggs, but milt. The substance was sticky and uhh - puddled over the rocks. Apparent...