loaches+predatory fish?

[botiaboy]

Besides loaches, I have had one huge interest in a certain group of aquarium fish- predators. Ive had eels, sunfish, and all sorts of other stuff, and I was curious if there was any way I could use a 150g to combine a few of some of the medium sized botia (almorhae,kubotai,etc.) with one or two small-medium sized midwater predators, without the loaches being turned into expensive feeders. It would be really cool to combine my 2 favorite groups of fish in one tank. Is this possible?

[Tinman]

I will preface this with...YOUR milage may vary but.....I keep smaller eels with mine but the Eels must be capable of the softer water needed by the loaches so the Eel is not in the best conditions but.... I have 1/2"-3/4" Clowns with this 12" Eel. The mouth size is the issue, almost any fish will eat a fish it can get in its mouth.This is the Eel in a 2" pipe that lives with very small loaches.I do not know anything of Sunfish nor the other predators as you did not mention them by name. African Ciclids are not good as they need hard water so the conditions are to extreme for a good mix.



Here is a 12 plus inch Bichir in a 4" pipe with large Clowns,They stayed behind it's mouth




Here is an old pic during tank maintenance of my Eel ,this has numerous fish less than 1" with it,This eel is about 12"-14".The Clown in the pic is about 2" or so

[Emma Turner]

That's really too general a post, botiaboy. You need to be specific with which species you hope to mix with the loaches.

Emma

[piggy4]

I guess its all about size really , making sure the loaches are big enough to avoid becoming fodder , it will be interesting to see how you get on !
P.s. just try one loach at a time , much cheaper