Search found 271 matches

by DainBramage1991
Tue Jul 08, 2014 9:07 pm
Forum: Fish Health & Treatment
Topic: Stress kills - and the fish don't like it either.
Replies: 15
Views: 21507

Re: Stress kills - and the fish don't like it either.

Sorry for not getting back with an update. It turned out that I was finally successful in killing off the ich with a combination of running the tank at 87F for two whole months, and installing a 36W UV sterilizer fed by a small fountain pump. The tank has been running at 78F for nearly 2 years and a...
by DainBramage1991
Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:39 pm
Forum: Loach Forum
Topic: Is this B. histrionica?
Replies: 4
Views: 5787

Re: Is this B. histrionica?

I've got one that looks nearly like this. I suspect that it is a B. Kubotai, but I've never been certain. It was obtained in a batch sold as B. Histrionica, but they turned out to be mostly B. Rostrata and B. Kubotai. It's very hard to positively ID many of the loaches in the Botia genus as they are...
by DainBramage1991
Fri Dec 06, 2013 6:05 pm
Forum: Loach Forum
Topic: Botia striatas in 126L tank? What fishes for community?
Replies: 6
Views: 6508

Re: Botia striatas in 126L tank? What fishes for community?

Good point, I had forgotten that the tank was going to be around young children. With that in mind, small but hearty fish such as danios, tetras, livebearers, and corydoras catfish might be good choices. Good luck, I hope this works out well. Who knows, maybe you'll help influence another generation...
by DainBramage1991
Fri Dec 06, 2013 1:27 pm
Forum: Loach Forum
Topic: Botia striatas in 126L tank? What fishes for community?
Replies: 6
Views: 6508

Re: Botia striatas in 126L tank? What fishes for community?

If you really wish to keep loaches but are limited to your current tank, take a look at dwarf chain loaches (yasuhikotakia-sidthimunki):

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ya ... idthimunki
by DainBramage1991
Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:23 pm
Forum: Loach Forum
Topic: weather loach behavior suspicious
Replies: 5
Views: 8045

Re: weather loach behavior suspicious

weather loaches also get "gassy" from their habit of gulping air from the surface of the tank. This is normal behavior, but if they seem to be doing it more often than normal you may not have enough dissolved oxygen in the water. Make sure that there is a decent amount of agitation at the water surf...
by DainBramage1991
Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:17 pm
Forum: Loach Forum
Topic: Botia striatas in 126L tank? What fishes for community?
Replies: 6
Views: 6508

Re: Botia striatas in 126L tank? What fishes for community?

126l is a bit small, but can probably be made to work for the striatas as they only reach about 10cm in length. This is assuming that the tank is a long, low one rather than a tall, narrow one. Length and surface area are more important than overall volume when keeping loaches. Zebras, like most oth...
by DainBramage1991
Sat Nov 30, 2013 9:42 pm
Forum: Loach Forum
Topic: Royal Banded Loaches
Replies: 2
Views: 4244

Re: Royal Banded Loaches

A long term solution would be to put the RBLs in their own tank, then do some research and find out what they are (species), what they need for a setup, and what kind of fish they can be housed with. Without actually knowing what species they are (common names don't help, different regions have diff...
by DainBramage1991
Mon Nov 18, 2013 12:14 pm
Forum: Fish Health & Treatment
Topic: What are the odds of my loaches surviving ich?
Replies: 7
Views: 11526

Re: What are the odds of my loaches surviving ich?

I'm very sorry to hear that.

Please keep the treatment going (especially the heat) so that you can fully eradicate the ich.
by DainBramage1991
Fri Nov 15, 2013 8:20 pm
Forum: Loach Forum
Topic: Kubotais/dwarf chains in a 50 gallon
Replies: 3
Views: 4428

Re: Kubotais/dwarf chains in a 50 gallon

Any excuse for a bigger tank is a good thing. :D I don't know what causes the variation in growth rates and adult sizes but I have heard that females tend to be larger. However, there's really no reliable way to tell male from female with most loaches (as far as I know). Thanks for the compliment on...
by DainBramage1991
Fri Nov 15, 2013 8:17 pm
Forum: Fish Health & Treatment
Topic: What are the odds of my loaches surviving ich?
Replies: 7
Views: 11526

Re: What are the odds of my loaches surviving ich?

Survival rates aren't really predictable, but usually treating the ich quickly will save the most fish. I had a horrendous battle with it at the beginning of the year and only lost a clown and a pleco. You don't need to add oxygen tablets to keep the dissolved O2 level high enough for the fish. Addi...
by DainBramage1991
Wed Nov 13, 2013 8:45 pm
Forum: Fish Health & Treatment
Topic: Do loaches shed?
Replies: 1
Views: 4091

Re: Do loaches shed?

I'm sorry, but neither loaches nor any other fish that I am aware of shed their skins.

Sorry to hear that your loach jumped to his death, but that is most certainly exactly what happened.
by DainBramage1991
Sat Nov 09, 2013 5:07 pm
Forum: Fish Health & Treatment
Topic: Strange Botia Kubotai behaviour
Replies: 4
Views: 6735

Re: Strange Botia Kubotai behaviour

The best thing to do when your loaches start doing that is to sit back and enjoy the show. :D
by DainBramage1991
Sat Nov 09, 2013 5:05 pm
Forum: Loach Forum
Topic: introducing my tank
Replies: 4
Views: 5107

Re: introducing my tank

Those particular synos mix well with loaches. For the most part mine don't even notice the loaches, much less bother them in any way.
by DainBramage1991
Thu Nov 07, 2013 7:31 pm
Forum: Fish Health & Treatment
Topic: Strange Botia Kubotai behaviour
Replies: 4
Views: 6735

Re: Strange Botia Kubotai behaviour

Some loaches like to play. One of my yoyos will do circles around a filter inlet tube almost continuously for months at a time (often being followed by other loaches who seem to delight in joining in the fun), then stop doing it for a month or two, and then pick it up again. Looks like perfectly nor...
by DainBramage1991
Thu Nov 07, 2013 7:24 pm
Forum: Loach Forum
Topic: introducing my tank
Replies: 4
Views: 5107

Re: introducing my tank

Very nice tank setup! I happen to have a soft spot in my heart for featherfin catfish (aka upside-down catfish), I have four of them. Yours looks like a healthy and active specimen. In a few years the clowns will probably outgrow your 200 liter tank, so you may want to consider a larger home for the...