Mixing botia

[pierydys]

So I decided the clowns had enough time to claim their territory over the past month and threw in my three kubotai last night from the other tank. The results have been hilarious. The kubs are pretty young -- 2 inches or so -- but have always been fearless little things.

So it goes to figure that the first thing they do is go into alpha clown's Lair of MINEMINEMINE and start trying to shove themselves under her and wedge her out of it After this was met with a bit of grouchiness, they went to the other side of the tank and started loachy dancing up and down for the next hour or so. This morning I saw one of the little brats whiskering a clown 5 times its size until it got its little face smacked

I think I'm going to get a few more (maybe 3, to bring the total to magic 6) kubs to see if this brings their feistyness down, but hopefully not too much. Too entertaining. I should probably note that these guys have lived with some of the clowns before, so the big guys are kind of used to them and pretty much ignore their antics

Which brings me to my main question -- what mixes of loaches do you guys have going in your tanks? I'll probably end up adding another couple of clowns and three more kubs, but was also looking into a six pack of striata. Those species tend to get along together, right? Any other suggestions that might work for the variety pack? The tank has a nice, big footprint (72x24) because I wanted it to be a loach showcase, so now I'm just trying to figure out the right population to put in. Your suggestions would be invaluable.

Angela

[helen nightingale]

i have yoyos, striata and rostrata. the first rostrata was bought as a yoyo. my first loach was a striata, and i was told she'd be fine on her own, then i thought a yoyo might keep her company. striata were hard to find locally, and that was before i found Emma's shop, and LOL.

now i have groups of all 3 and they get on fine. the rostrata annoy the others, including the garras, by determindly shadowing them, but other than that, no fighting.

if i knew what i knew what i know now, i would have 3 big tanks with bigger groups of each species on their own. i have found the more striata of a similar size, the better.

[bslindgren]

I have clowns, striata and kubs, plus a bunch of kuhlis. No problems whatsoever. In terms of behaviour and entertainment value, I think the striatas are my favourites. If you go up to the tank, they'll come up to the glass to look at you! The kubs are a bit less brave, and the clowns are outright skittish (particularly the bigger ones). I'm starting to think that the minimum number should be 10 rather than 5 for clowns. They seem to need peer-support!

[loachcoach]

I have 5 clowns, 4 striata and 7 kubs....the kubs are by far the most rambunctious although the striata often join them in their antics. The clowns generally hide until I turn the main light off, although a couple of the smaller ones venture out during the day to explore.

[Mad Duff]

I have 5 tanks all with mixed loaches:

Tank 1:
Clowns
Emperors
B. histrionica
B. kubotai
Schistura (4 species)

Tank 2:
Sinibotia pulchra
Nemacheilus rueppelli
Schistura (2 species)

Tank 3:
Y. sidthimunki
Mesonoemacheilus guentheri
Pangio (5 species)

Tank 4:
Sewellia lineolata
Sewellia sp spotted
Acanthocobitis zonalternans
Schistura (1 species)

Tank 5:
B. kubotai
B. almorhae
B. rostrata
B. striata
B. dario
Mesonoemacheilus triangularis
Schistura cf balteata

I think thats them all

[Doc]

Tank 1.
C.macracanthus
B.histrionica
B.almorhae


Tank 2.
Yasuhikotakia modesta
Syncrossus beauforti
Y.morleti


Tank 3.
Beaufortia kweichowensis
Schistura mahnerti

[mickthefish]

my combination is
B histrionica
B striata
B almorhae
B dario
Y caudipunctata
S berdmori
S cf balteata

mick

[LeStat]

I have mostly Clowns with 3 Modesta, 3 zebra & 3 YoYo and they get along 'swimmingly', The 6" Modesta can be a bit bossy though!

[newshound]

tank one-
B. histrionica
B. kubotai
Y. sidthimunki


tank two-
three large rescued clowns
B. dario
B. kubotai
B. striata
B. rostrata
B. almorhae


tank three-
evil eos
modesta
robusta
bunch of smelly skunks