Loaches Online Forum

Hey everyone. My name is Jess, I'm 17 from Australia. I have kept loaches for a year now but only just stumbled upon this site by reading an article on loaches in Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine.

I have a 5 x 2 x 2 tank with 5 Pakistani Loaches, 5 Kuhli Loaches (one black, four striped) and 1 Twin banded Loach (or Sergeant Major Loach). I'm not sure if the Twin Banded is legal in Australia though as we are unable to order them in at my work (I work in the fish section at a Pet Shop) and I have never seen them for sale. This girl was brought in with a batch of Pakistanis so I snatched her up and took her home. She just hangs out the with Pakis and I know she's a female as she has a big belly full of eggs

One of the Pakis is unfortunately suffering from what you guys call "Skinny Disease" even though he's very active and ALWAYS eating. It's been two months and I've used every worm and parasite treatment I could find. I just started using Sterozyn a few days ago and it looks as though he's starting to gain some weight finally! Very happy about that.

When I first bought my first Kuhli loach (the black one), I was told I was an idiot to buy it because all they do is hide and you never see them, as with all loaches. Well a year I have had these loaches on very soft, fine grit they love to have a little dig around in but they never cover themselves or hide. In fact, the Kuhlis love to spend most of their time in the plants, twisting themselves up in funny shapes in what I guess is fun to them

I unfortunately don't have a camera so am unable to get photos of them or of the tank but will soon. Would love to hear from all of you and what wonderful loaches you all own

Welcome to LOL. Sounds like you ahve a great setup. I agree about the kuhlis - I think most people who don't see them much just don't provide the right kind of environment. Mine (I have 6 kuhli and 6 myersi in different tanks) are out as soon as I feed them. The kulis have some Cryptocoryne thickets they hang out in, and the myersi have a stone pile they live in. I look forward to seeing pictures.

PS Hopefully I'll visit down under next summer.

I have 5 kuhliis in a sand substrate tank and see them daily. Mine also like to hang out in the plants. I see them all come out during feeding times.

I also have 7 dojo loaches (2 golds) and they almost NEVER hide, also in a sand tank. Just this morning, in fact, I saw all 7 of them at once doing the loachy dance in their favorite corner of their 55 gallon (4 foot long tank). I've never seen all 7 of them doing it together before, it was very exciting and entertaining to watch!

I hope to one day have a giant tank so I can have a school of clown loaches, but that won't be for a while.

Welcome to LOL, I love it here, sure you will too.

Sorry I don't know anything about skinny disease but I am positive there are some very knowledgeable members here who will offer opinions / advice.

Hi Jess, Great to see yet another Aussie join us - there is quite a few of us now. Lucky you getting the Botia Rostrata, you will have to keep an eye out for more "contaminants" but I suppose she thinks she is a Yo-Yo and "hangs" with them. Its a good part of working in a Fish Shop that you get first pick of the fish I suppose.
I have 5 Yo-Yo's and 5 Kubotai. I am currently setting-up a 5x2x2 with sump and Eheim 2080 to house them in but it wont be ready for about 2 months or so.
What Loaches can your shop order?
What part of Auss are you living?
Cheers Graeme.

Hey everyone, thanks for the kind words of welcome I'm glad this person was deluded and everyone gets to enjoy watching them all day long.

Graeme; I live in Brisbane. We can get Pakistanis, Kuhlis, Dwarves, Clowns and sometimes Kubotai (I was thinking about getting some of these, very nice!). That's all we can order. Hopefully we'll get another Rostrata come in one day soonbut yeah, she is always with the yoyos and rainbow shark.

What sort of fish do you house your loaches with? I have an assortment; godl barbs, cherry barbs, guppies, one ghost kinfe, one rainbow shark, silver sharks, flying fox sharks, rummynose tetras, blue rams and zebra danios. Everyone gets along very well and are all happy in the PH level. Is this sort of community good?

Hi Jess, That's quite a range of fish you have there, should be OK if it is peacefull enough. How does the Ghost Knife handle it? I thought they were a bit shy and hid a lot. I dont have any other fish in my current tank but when I get my 5x2x2 I will get 12 Dwarf Chain's, a couple of Octlinctus and a small school of Ember Tetras. I am thinking of getting a 4x2x2 for my Yo Yo's if they are still so boisterous in the big tank and add a school of Rainbows. I will then put Khulie's and Corys in the 3 ft tank. I can recommend Kubotai - I just love mine !!!
I checked out your website and think Zukhala is one strong and good looking Grey. We have one just like her,Tilley, she is 23 years old and is enjoying retirement on our 8 acres with her friend Lady (21 ) - they are two spoilt horses - my kids have grownup and dont ride them anymore. Good luck with your ambitions and remember Australia has a good history in Equestrian and you could be part of a good future.
Go get em girl. Cheers Graeme.

Hi Jess, Welcome to LOL. Good to see another person from SE Queensland.

You have a great selection of fish! How does the Black Ghost Knife go? They are an awesome fish even though they get big.

Hope your skinny loach gets better. Did you put it in a QT tank? You might have more success.

That is good for you working in a fish shop. Perhaps you could be our "person on the inside". Could you give us a yell when some Kubotai come in?

Good luck with your horses.

Thank you Graeme! She certainly is a beautiful mare. The pinto is unfortunately for sale as I would like another Thoroughbred or Warmblood to compete on while the grey is in foal. It's good you have retired your horse to paradise; so many people ae horrible and dump their horses when they are no longer rideable.

The Ghost Knife is fine and happy. He hides during the day but comes out and cruises around at night. He's only about 10cms now but when he gets bigger he'll be going in my Cichlid tank.

Will do Robert One of the other fish guys really wants to get them in aswell, we just need to see them come on the ordering list. Unfortunately, so many of our clowns and pakistanis that have been coming in lately from Bayfish are full of worms. It's horrible and we treat them but alot die within a few days. Poor bubs.

The Aquariumwharehouse has Kubotai in there Gold Coast stores for $25 - I paid $40 for mine.They have a store at Underwood and they should have them as well I imagine.
I was checking out Fish Shops in South Brisbane last Friday and was told by one that they get in Striata's occasionally. They said someone breeds them locally ( I would really like to meet them). He said they sold for $50 the last time they had them. I wonder how much truth was in his statements but will check back monthly just in case it is true. I would love some Striata's to put with my Kuby's but they are not on the "Importable List".
Does anyone out there know of any succesfull Striata breeding?

I suppose after Colin's spawning of Clowns nothing is impossible.
Cheers Graeme.

The Aquarium warehouse is just up the road from my work. I work at Petwise in Underwood. I bought a couple of clown loaches today and some more kuhlis, finally gave in to the clowns haha. My store is getting Gold Ghost Knives in next week! I've never seen them before and can't find any on google so I'll have to buy one.

Will go check out the Aquarium Warehouse, thanks. Kubotai are so beautiful.

Oh try and get some pictures to post of the gold ghost knifefish. Never heard of those! Oh, and welcome to LOL.

Hooray, I went to visit Aquarium Warehouse on the weekend and saw the Kubotai. They still had quite a few and they all looked rather healthy. The guy said the price would stay the same as they were not selling so fast. So I should be able to get a few (quite a few) just after christmas. Aquarium Warehouse is not a bad shop but I will have to check out petwise some day.

Striata in Oz - Yer right, seeing is believing! Oh someone is breeding them are they? I supose they have pandas out the back too.

I took some photos of my fish today but it was on my brothers video camera which isnt reallymeant to take photos so about 2 out of 50 turned out alright haha. The rest are just blurry. I'll upload a photo of my actual tank though.

This is about 3 feet of my 5 foot tank. The rest of it pretty much looks the same, just with more driftwood and plants.

Very nice, Jess.