Loaches Online Forum

API makes a master freshwater test kit with all the reagents for pH, high-range pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. They also make a separate kit that tests water hardness, Kh and Gh. You must purchase these kits if you want to maintain good water quality. They can be ordered from Foster & Smith. Firs...

First and fattest (male) dojo: "Tee-hee-hee! Have we got that human wrapped around our little fins!" Second (male) dojo: "Yeah -- all we need do is look at her with our little beady black eyes and we get fed our favorite treats. Life should be so easy for our wild cousins!" Third (female) dojo: "Yea...

Order some O-Nip tablets from Foster & Smith, and your dojos will love you forever! They also like algae pellets. Just be sure NOT to overfeed either of those. Dojos will gorge themselves if you let them.

-- dojosmama

I plan to keep 6 in my 65-gallon, so I don't see where 4 or 5 in a 60 gallon would be any problem. Just keep the tank clean and your water parameters good. Provide them plenty of hiding places and lots of floating plants for bedding. I still recommend pads of riccia. Mine seem to like those best. --...

DOJOS! DOJOS! DOJOS! AND MORE DOJOS! Cute and playful. I have 3 in a 20-gallon-high coldwater tank, and they are thoroughly spoiled! Have the life of Riley! They're regular little acrobats, twisting and turning as they glide across the tank. Curious, always probing for food or whatever in the floati...

Do you find your weather loaches like to nibble floating Riccia? Mine have their little heads and mouths up in it all the time. I can't tell if they're nibbling the plants or goodies hidden within the plants, like maybe minnow or danio eggs. Since I don't plan on breeding either fish, I don't care a...

On my 20-gallon-high with three dojos in it, I have an Aquaclear 50 hob with the flow valve wide open, and in the opposite corner of the tank, standing vertically on the substrate, I have a 4-inch airstone powered by an external pump. The dojos don't have any problem at all with the current. They re...

Not sure why water movement is a problem for floating plants. I have some good currents going in my tank, and my floaters thrive. I forgot to add that I also have pads of riccia floating on the surface, and these make wonderful little "beds" for dojos to rest on, as well as my minnows and danios whi...

White Cloud Minnows, Zebra Danios, Glo-fish Danios, Rosy Barbs (if your tank is large enough) are species which thrive in colder water (68F to 70F). White Clouds can thrive in temps down to 55F, the Rosy Barbs down to 65F. Once you've had dojos, you'll wonder why you never had them before. They are ...

To give you an idea, I have a 20-gallon-high with 3 dojos in it and lots of minnows and danios. I have an AquaClear 50 filter on it with the flow control valve wide open, and a four-inch airstone at the opposite corner (standing vertically on the substrate), powered by an external pump. My dojos don...

Didn't see your question about golden or regular dojos until now. Either one should be fine. It depends on what you like best. Mine are all the regular (lightly speckled) variety, and I love those. They are active and energetic, and even acrobatic at times. My personal preference is for the regular ...

One more luxury item you could provide for your dojos: Soft floating plants like hornwort and pads of riccia. They like to rest in these, and they can provide shade from bright light. Dojos like their light on the subdued side. These floating plants require just low to medium light and no fertilizat...

Hi, there! Aren't dojos fun? Such cute and active little fishes! In answer to your question about top swimmers, White Cloud minnows would be fine. If you would like more color in the tank, you can get glo-fish danios. They are simply a genetically altered version of Zebra danios, and come in bright ...

I have subdued light in my tank, shaded by the floating plants. My fish are more outgoing, unafraid to get out into the middle of the tank, because they know they can hide amid the java moss and other floaters. I'm not sure that constant bright light is even good for them. They don't have that in na...

I'll watch for that, then. I plan to deliver it to them via a small syringe held closely to the bottom of the tank and in front of them so they can easily get at the daphnia when I push down the plunger. If they ignore it, then I'll try giving them live brine shrimp. I have plenty of other fish that...