Please Help!!

[bsmall05]

Alright, so I am the new and very proud owner of a Dojo and a Zebra Loach. The Dojo (named Mr. Wiggles by my boyfriend) has kept me laughing and seems to have more personality than any pet I have had. The Zebra however is a different story. I can usually find him under the draw bridge of the castle I have in my aquarium. He is shy, even during feeding time. This afternoon I came home and eagerly went to check on my friends... after a quick head count I realized that my Zebra was MIA. In a panic I quickly checked the stand and the floor all around my aquarium, then began moving around the plants and rocks hoping that he had burrowed. To make a long story short, after a lot of panic, my boyfriend took out the castle to find that my shy friend had wiggled into a tower of the castle. Relieved I thought that if he got in there he could get out, right? So hours later, after the usual evening feeding he was still in the tower, not moving apparently. It took some manuvering but we got him out, and i have since blocked the entrance to the tower. My worry is that I have a depressed fishy on my hands. Is this possible? What can I do to make him less so? I have read that Zebra Loaches are lively and friendly, but this guy is anything but. He is even agressive towards my smaller fish. Should I be worried? Any advice or input is much appreciated!!

[mikev]

Loaches are lively and friendly indeed....with their own kind. By keeping a single loach you are denying it social life.

For most Botia species, the appropriate number is 5+. Hopefully, your tank is large enough to accomodate more Zebras (B.Striata), or you can get a larger one.

Now, hiding in the castle may or may not have anything to do with being lonely. Loaches do hide, and often in inappropriate places. Decorations like castles are not the best choice with loaches; something simpler, like driftwood or slate, would work better. Not only a loach can get stuck inside a fancy decoration, it can also get cut by sharp edges often present in such decorations.

Additionally, Dojos and Zebras have very different requirements, it is impossible to keep both in the same tank since you cannot create conditions that are appropriate for both.

hth

[Martin Thoene]

Hi bsmall05,
You should read these:

Zebra Loach

Dojo Loach

You'll see that basically they're incompatible due to different temperature requirements.

Martin.

[bsmall05]

Thanks for the help, I am putting my Zebra in a new tank today and am making plans to get him new friends this week, other than more Zebras, what other fish could I put in there? As I said earlier I am very new to owning an aquarium. Thanks again!

[mikev]

You are very welcome!

Just in case: make sure that the new tank is properly cycled. Don't cycle with loaches.

You will get a better answer if you tell us the size of the new tank.

Generally, good tankmates are to be found among Rasboras, Danios, and Barbs.

[bsmall05]

The current tank is 20g and the new one is only 15g, I know this is small but I am in a cramped appartment and dont have room for much bigger. I origionally had bettas, my female is in a 1.5g bowl now. My favorite crown tail died and my boyfriend went out and got me new friends. He bought one of the Cardinals, one of the Guppy's and the Weather Loach. I went out and bought friends for my Guppy and the Cadinal, and the Zebra caught my attention playing in the same tank that housed my Cardinal. [/u]