Loaches Online Forum

I sympathize with your feelings for your Dojos. I have three and they are spoiled rotten. Cute as can be and they know it! Dojos can feed anywhere in the tank. They primarily feed on the bottom, but I've seen mine forage at the surface, also. It's normal for a weather loach to dash to the surface, g...

I forgot to mention, Dojos are notorious escape artists. Keep a tight lid on your tank and seal off any holes large enough for them to fit through. They can live outside of water for awhile, if they don't dry out. They store oxygen. You may occasionally see one or both Dojos rush to the surface, gul...

Kuhli Loaches are tropical fish. They need a warmer tank. Dojos do well in cooler water. I have three in my coldwater (heaterless) tank. I have them in a 65-gallon. Ideally, dojos shouldn't be in water much warmer than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. At least 3 is ideal, though 2 is certainly better than one...

As to ferns, I think we're talking about two different kinds -- terrestrial ferns and fully aquatic ferns. Java ferns are fully submerged in the tank and grow as fully aquatic plants. Anubias, on the other hand, will grow underwater but also above water. I have only had fully submerged aquatic plant...

There are a lot of aquatic plants that require high light to grow well, but in my tank, java ferns, anubias, java moss seem to thrive on less light and no CO2 supplementation. In fact, java moss grows so well, it becomes a pest after awhile. My anubias bloom frequently. Neither of my two tanks have ...

Why just the pothos? Don't most aquarium plants absorb nitrate?

Silvertone: "Oh, look! We've gotten a response. Some folks find us quite entertaining. No surprise, We ARE celebrities, after all." 1st. male dojo: "Of course we're celebrities! We're the most famous occupants of this entire aquarium." 2nd dojo: "Does that mean we get our own limousine?" 1st dojo: "...

I also suggest that you get your single loach two or more dojo companions, as they prefer to be in groups of at least three. If she is being aggressive, it may be because she's the only dojo in the tank, and is restless. Having others of her own kind might settle her down.

Barbs can be aggressive toward one another. It's quite possible the wounded Barb received its wound from the other Barb and not from your loach. Yes, they sometimes will eat fish and invertebrates small enough to fit into their mouths. For this reason, I'm hesitant to keep Amano shrimp in the same t...

1st male dojo: "Well, it has been awhile since we've gone onto this forum with our aquatic conversations. But I would like to introduce our new tankmate, Silvertone. Our Mama just got him, and he's a silvery gray, unlike the rest of us. We'll be able to keep a better eye on him, making sure he behav...

Since your albino dojo looks fat, I would be more concerned that the other tank members are able to access food when you feed them. When one fish is a hog like that, the others are at a disadvantage at feeding time, and may not get enough to eat. I had that happen awhile back, when I had three dojos...

That is one lucky little loach that has found a nice home with someone who really wants to take good care of her. I know nothing about clown loaches, but I think she's going to be very happy and healthy, judging from how you want what's best for her.

Kudos!

-- dojosmama

Folks, I've changed my mind. I'm keeping my little dojos, which I've had since 2010. I was thinking of tearing down my 65 gallon tank, but now I'm keeping it and will make some improvements in it. I do have a 20-gallon, but no way was I going to subject those dojos to such a cramped environment when...

As the bacteria eats up the ammonia and another bacteria eats up the nitrite, the by-product of all of that is nitrate, and the only way to get rid of that is to rinse the media as well as possible in tank water or dechlorinated tap water, clean the entire filter as needed, and do regular, substanti...

Do you have a sponge in your filter box along with the ceramic beads? If so, it's very likely the sponge is the culprit and not the beads. Even rinsing the sponge weekly will not remove all the debri that is in it. The sponge is mechanical filtration -- it catches all the gunk and holds it until it'...