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Dojo loaches

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2016 11:14 pm
by IsaacL
I have a 55g planted tank and want to add a loach to clean the sand substrate. I don't have much experience with them and was wondering if they would do a good job cleaning the sand and eating snails.

Re: Dojo loaches

Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 1:12 pm
by gulogulo
What temperature is the tank at? Dojos are a cool water species so an unheated tank is important.

Also, just to be clear the loaches (and no animal) will truly clean the substrate. They will eat any food missed by the other fish but you should ensure any bottom feeders actually get fed as well. BTW, what are your other tank inhabitants?

Re: Dojo loaches

Posted: Mon Nov 28, 2016 4:01 pm
by IsaacL
The tank will be maintained at 75 degrees
The only tank inhabitants are gouramis and purple spotted gudgeon

Re: Dojo loaches

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 2:30 am
by Bas Pels
75 F is in winter far too hot for Misgurnis. 10 C, or 52 F might be much better in winter. In summer around 20 C, 70 to 75 F, is OK, but only for max 2 months

Re: Dojo loaches

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 4:20 pm
by jonstfrancis
IsaacL wrote:I have a 55g planted tank and want to add a loach to clean the sand substrate. I don't have much experience with them and was wondering if they would do a good job cleaning the sand and eating snails.
I'd never describe Dojos as able to clean the substrate; they are very messy fishes in my experience. They do remove a snail problem and will eat up most other undesirables you may not have noticed in the substrate.

Re: Dojo loaches

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 4:48 pm
by IsaacL
I would like to clarify that I don't want the loach to clean my tank for me but just help pick up uneaten food and eat snails. I will still be cleaning out the tank on a regular basis, I just want a fish that will help kick up the substrate and pick out uneaten food. But I will have to find another fish at this point. I wouldnt keep a fish unless I can care for them in the best environment I can.

Re: Dojo loaches

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 11:30 am
by jonstfrancis
I understood that but I think they can be a bit fussy about their food to maybe eat all the uneaten bits, but it would depend on what was left over. They also manage to spit pellets all over the place as they eat. That's one reason why they are messy. But for getting rid of all types of snails, they are good at that.

Re: Dojo loaches

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2016 10:06 pm
by Dojosmama
My dojos will eat just about anything I give them. They only eat my snails if the snails die. Living snails are safe around them. They can pull in their operculums and seal themselves off tightly so nothing can get at their soft tissues. I have Nerite snails in with my dojos, along with Ramshorns and some others, and nothing bothers them.

If you do keep dojos, be sure to have a tight lid on your tank, and seal up any holes not being used for tubing or other equipment. Dojos are notorious for escaping their aquariums, and can live outside of the tank for quite some time. They store oxygen in their bodies.

They are a cooler water fish.

I haven't found mine to ever spit out pellets. If the pellets are hard, before they soften up and begin dissolving, the dojos will pick at them. Once they soften up, they'll take chunks off of them, and have to compete with my other fish for them. My Rosy Barbs also like the pellets, and often push away my dojos to get at them. Everyone still manages to get enough to eat, though.

In what other ways are dojos messy? I haven't found mine to be that way.