Loaches Online Forum

Thank you HylaChristine for being brave enough to post your pics. I'm still learning to use my mother's old camera & haven't figured out posting yet (o.k. or focusing either ) Mark, Martin, Graeme & several others here are not just loach "pros" but talented & patient photographers too.
Nancy

Hi again Red_Arokh, Many people keep clowns & angels together but it didn't work for me. The clowns scared the angels a night. Lots of splashing & dashing around in the dark. I don't think the loaches were mean, just curious & rowdy. You asked how long I've been in the hobby-- more than 25 years, bu...

What kind of loaches? I had a catfish that expelled eggs just to get rid of them. Caviar for all!
Nancy

It's been a long time since I kept gouramis but it seems like they like fairly calm water (for their bubble nests) & clowns like faster current. The fins are targets for fin-nippers like tiger barbs & serpae tetras. As far as dither fish go a lot of people keep rainbows or rasboras. I tried silver t...

Hi Red_Arokh, I have a similar set-up with 6 3-4 inch clowns & 8 (used to be 10) tiger barbs in a 55gal. I planning to move them to at least a 125g, hopefully a 180g. in the not too distant future. It's usually o.k. to add smaller fish (after 3-4 week quarantine of course) to an existing group but l...

CKfish, I'm so sorry about your sids, I got mine about the same time as you. In the shop 2 or3 of 12 had round pink stomachs so I waited a month to buy & 1 was still skinny. I was concerned about internal parasites but afraid they'd be sensitive to meds. I was going to try levamisole but then there ...

I think I learned ventral fin instead of pelvic, is that old school? ( And my adipose area isn't a tiny fin near my tail ). Anyway I think I'll try some omega color flakes although my fish are more goumand than gourmet .
Nancy

I happen to still have a post-it stuck by my computer with info from various LOL forums on levamisole dosages. It comes in at least 3 forms so miligrams/gallon (or liter) is the only way to go. 1) 20-50mg/gal or 2) 10mg/liter 48 hours x 3 treatments or 3) 7.6 to 38mg/gal for 24 hours or 4) I think t...

I may have to get a Python when I get a bigger tank. For now I like to think of water changes as part of my exercise routine.
Nancy

Thanks Emma & Martin. I wish I had more confidence in HD "experts", I'll see what they say. And getting tradesmen of any sort is difficult here, there's so much demand :roll: . I was thinking more of 2 floor jacks? to hold up a 6-8 ft beam perpendicular to the joists. I afraid a truly big tank like ...

I'm going to need a bigger tank for my clowns sometime & I'm concerned about the tank weight of a 6 ft. x ?. This site[url=http://www.african-cichlid.com/Structure.htm ]was very helpful but he keeps repeating that even engineers can't reliably tell all the variables. The best place in my house with ...

Sondra, You might also try some of the smaller crypts as foreground plants. I think c. parva is short & c. wendtii (all varieties?) is about 3-4 inches in my tank although in low light. The newer off-sets are even smaller but I've only had 3-4 months. Remember many aquarium plants are grown emersed ...

Be careful not to overfeed to "make up" for less frequent feedings. They can only eat so much & the leftovers (& increased poop) will pollute the water. Did she give any instructions on changing their water? If not you'd be safer feeding less food, less often IMO.
Nancy

Hi Jenny, I'm certainly no expert but it seems like your nitrates are a bit high. I'd do water changes to get that down, under 20ppm, loaches are sensitive to water conditions. I can't really tell from your pic that anything obvious is wrong.
Nancy

Anubias too. Well one loach nibbled on the flower of one. Laid on the nearest leaf to guard it from tiger barbs, too cute & no harm done.
Nancy