Loach population in my new tank.

[phcadams]

So, first of all, i'd like to congratulate this web site, it helped me a lot to make my decision of making a whole new tank ABOUT loaches.

Well, it's gonna be a 300ltr tank [almost 80 gallons]

my question is the following. Is this population proper for my tank?

1 blak-taled black Shark [already have it in another tank]
6 yoyo loaches
6 kubotai
1 Blue Dempsey
10 corys [the biggest specie because of the blue Dempsey]
5 dojo loaches [only because i already have 2 and i'd get two others from a friend, but i'd be totally ok about them out of this tank]

ok, that was it. Thanks for the atention.

C ya

[connor]

my question is the following. Is this population proper for my tank?

Unfortunately you shouldn't add the dojo loaches to the rest of the fish you chose .. they are true cold water fish and will not be happy at the temperatures the tropical fish need.

More kubotais and yoyos would be good, though! A large tank like yours could probably handle up to 10 each of the yoyos and the kubotais.

If I may add a personal suggestion .. I would not mix loaches and corys, in my experience they don't like the level of curiosity loaches show towards them. There would also be room in the upper water regions for a small school of tetras or rasboras.

-Connor

[phcadams]

Yeah, i was kind of expecting that answer, hehe

but do you really think ten yoyo and 10 kubotai won't be to much ?

and about the tetras and rasboras, they would just be demsey food.

thanks again

[connor]

but do you really think ten yoyo and 10 kubotai won't be to much ?

If you skip on the cories and provide plenty of wood for hideouts, 2x 10 would be ok and a very nice "family" to watch.

[phcadams]

well without the corys there would, indeed, be planty of space for all this loaches!

Thanks Connor!

Now, instead of the tetras [ dempsey food ] what would u sugest ?

thnks

[connor]

Now, instead of the tetras [ dempsey food ] what would u sugest ?

thnks

Rainbowfish are often recommended as addition in loach tanks. I don't know about Jack Dempsies though .. except that adding a cichlid with a high aggression level can go really wrong .. or it can work perfectly. Hard to tell up front, but I would have a plan at hand about where to give it to if it doesn't work out.

Not saying this to discourage you .. I have a cichlid with my loaches too and it works very well.

-Connor

[phcadams]

I don't know about Jack Dempsies though .. except that adding a cichlid with a high aggression level can go really wrong .. or it can work perfectly

Yeah, i've already heard that mixing cichids with loaches is not always a successful experience. But considering that the blue Dempsey is one of the calmest cichlids, and that i will only introduce him into the tank a while after the loaches are already there [10cm/4 inches] so that they are big enough to defend themselves, i'm not so aworried about this mix.

But mixing cichlids with smaller fish is more then probable that the smaller fishes are gonna end up eaten buy the cichlid [tetras, rasboras and other young fishes].

What about, instead of the rainbow-fish, another cichlid, like severum? It's even calmer then the Blue Dempsey, and its gold version is beautyful.

Once again, thnks

[connor]

What about, instead of the rainbow-fish, another cichlid, like severum? It's even calmer then the Blue Dempsey, and its gold version is beautyful.

I wouldn't add too many different fish, at least not right from the start. 2x 10 loaches a shark and a Jack Dempsey means plenty of character in the tank. Perhaps give it a try first and observe closely if there would be enough room for another cichlid. 2 larger cichlids in a tank can also be the worst possible number in terms of aggression.

-Connor

[phcadams]

Perhaps give it a try first and observe closely if there would be enough room for another cichlid.

I couldn't agree more with you. I definitly think i should observe the tank for a few months before i add anymore fishes.

Concluding, thank you very much connor, i'm very greatful to you, for helping me tonight

C ya

[helen nightingale]

is there any possibility of having a different tank for the dempsey?

i agree that they might eat smaller fish, but sometimes loaches need smaller fish to make them feel safe, so they come out in the open more. without the dempsey, you would have so many more possibilities

[phcadams]

Hi, helen

Actualy, i haven't bought the dempsey yet, but i love this fish. And i am aware that the loaches feel safer in the presence of dither fishes, but i thought it wasn't so necessary.

Now, could you give me any more ideas about what putting in the tank without the dempsey? so that i can consider new thoughts. Because i did think of putting zebra danios as dither fishes, but then i realized the aquarium would get a little too gray, if u know what i mean. the yoyo's, the danios and the kubotais are black and white, so i gave up that idea.

thnks again

[Tinman]

A school of something is much better than a Jack imo, if you want one then set up another tank for it to dig and root in. Severums and Dempseys are very different in needs and will not help your Loaches be more active, and use up lots of O2 as they are large and messy, Active fish that stay up will let your loaches rule the tank and fly around , there are numerous barbs that work well and school up and stay active in any number of colors....I have found schools more satisfying than lone specimans in the long term ,especially when a jack can get full grown in a year or two and the loaches take many so the growth rates differ and cause problems long term in feeding and habitat

[phcadams]

Ok, so do you think a shoal os gold barbs [8] and a shoal of angel fish [6] would be ok? Reducing the number of loaches to 8 yoyo and 8 kubotais [or striatas, because here in Brazil striatas are more comons and easier to get] ?

[Tinman]

Angels don't like the high flow so you would be compromising to do that. How about Gold Barbs and Rosy barbs and maybe some other kind of Barb as well. I have Kubs and Almorhae but I do not think they look as good together as other combos until they mature some . The Almorhae may not impress you as much when fully developed as they fade down from youth, Striatas and Kubs are great together and I have Almorhea and Striata together myself as well as Striatas alone in another tank with Rumy nosed tetras as dithers. Barbs really are a strong choice with loaches as they occupy other parts of the tank and do not eat everything immediatly plus never harass your loaches which imo should be the center of attention in your tank and complimented by the dithers not herded by them, so many possibilitys though it is tough. I have had many combos in 30 years and do prefer a couple schools or three over one or two large groups of loaches . I would consider many of one kind of loach and 3 kinds of Barbs to be a tank that woud grow well together and be very active but we all have differing ideas of the perfect tank. Good Luck

[helen nightingale]

barbs would be great, and you can get some wonderfull colours and some get much bigger than the zebra danios. rasboras are also good, for the same reasons. just be aware that in the shops they often dont look great, as rosboras very often have subtle colouring that flash irridescent as they move. my other half wondered why i was so pleased when i came home with a bag of plain silver rasboras. now they have grown they have a beautifull reddish sheen, that changes in the light. it just depends on what takes your fancy.

http://www.jjphoto.dk/fish_archive/ab_i ... pefisk.htm

this site has loads of photos to browse through