Loaches Online Forum

Hi guys.

Been a bit since I posted. But I find it hard to work on three forums. So I will try my best to do three at a time.

Anyway back to my question.

I am getting a 100 gallon tank. 46 inches 20 inches 24 inches.

Now I will be keeping 15x Lake Kutubu Rainbows in it, with 7x Siamese Algae Eaters, and ?x Golden Zebra Loaches. [Possibly 5 Iran Red Rainbows]

Now I would like to know what you guys would think of a stocking list for the Golden Zebra Loaches. How many. Also I still have a option to return them and get new ones. What other type of Loaches would be recommended, that are not Dwarf Checker Board Loaches, or CLown Loaches.

I will have the tank set-up for both the Rainbows with a bit of currant, and also set up in a river type theme with rocks and plants. But not to much currant. It will also be a mei-dimly planted tank.


So any thought are welcome.

Cheers,
mack

If golden zebra loach means Botia histrionica, I like them. I have a few.
Any loach you can find would be a great addition. B histrionca stay on the smaller side 4-5 inches so you can get a whole school of them.

There are tons more you can check out yourself http://www.loaches.com/species-index


Another species of asian fish are rasboras. You might want to check them out. They're great schoolers... And of course Barbs, who are colorful and active bunch besides rainbows.

Hello...

If the temperature will not be too high, no more than 75F/ 24C, you could have Weather Loaches. I have two of them and they are wonderful, active fish. They can get quite large, up to 10 inches long, and though they are not the most colourful, they have a lot of personality. Mine are a light brownish colour and are mottled with darker spots. There is also a gold variety that has dark eyes, though I have only seen these in pictures. I am new at this, and have also recently found they are highly social and like to be in groups of 3 or more.

Loaches are a great fish to love...there are so many to choose from!

I am setting up a new tank as well. I have a 20 gallon and a new 55 Gallon. I just moved my Weather Loaches into it today, and wow, were they ever hard to catch! But I'm sure they will be happier now that they have more space. You have even more with your 100...it must be HUGE! It will be so much fun for you to set up!

I'm sure it won't take long for you to find the right loaches for your aquarium.

Soul-Hugger

Hi,
I am not to positive about the size of school of Botia histrionica.

As for Rasboras, I don't know yet. I may look at Scissor Tails. But that would mean I would have 4 schools of fish in the mid water level.

So I think I will just have 5x Iran Red Rainbows, and 15x Lake Kutubus, 7x Siamese Algae Eaters. But the Loaches I am not sure yet what to do.

Thanks for the help.

mack

Soul-Hugger

Thanks. But the temp will be 27'c.

Just a bit to high I think for the Weather Loach. But you are right, I will fond something I like after some time. But I can keep pretty much what ever type of Loach I like so that makes it hard. 100 gallons is a nice tank, but a pain to stock right.

mack

hi Mack, if you want to see your loaches most of the time i'd go for either kubotai or histrionica as even ehen they are adult they stay in view most of the time, for your tank i'd get a group of both and around 6 of each and as an accompanyment with them some of the smaller loaches, shistura, nemocheilus, lepidocephalus sp.
good luck with the setup mate.

mick

Not so sure about the algae eater. After some time they become boisterous and general pain in the butt for other fish. It took me 5 months to catch 4. I still have 2 left in my loach tank. They fight among themselves and bully the rest at feeding time

A school of B. striata would be nice, or B.almorhae. They are funny little guys.

I would cut down the SAE to just one fish, and then only if you need an algae eater. I like Rainbows a lot more than SAEs. My Rainbows race from one end of the tank to the other. (4' long tank) 2 species of mid-tank schooling fish is enough, when the fish are this size.

That is an odd tank to be stocking. So tall, not very long in comparison. Not much floor space.

One species of bottom oriented, social fish. Smaller Loaches are fine, but most appreciate more water movement. I would add a power head to the lower area for them.

Hi,

I've been reading this thread with interest. I have 4 SAE, and they are big 4" fish now. They grew to that size in 18 months. I keep them in a 48" 55 gallon tank. I really like them, but I think they might be too big for their tank. They are very quick and active fish. I'm actually thinking of rehoming mine, if I could find someone with a larger tank for them.

Diana wrote:I would cut down the SAE to just one fish, and then only if you need an algae eater. I like Rainbows a lot more than SAEs. My Rainbows race from one end of the tank to the other. (4' long tank) 2 species of mid-tank schooling fish is enough, when the fish are this size.

A lot of people who have SAE's and say they are very boisterous and bother-some fish, tend to not know that they are not SAE's. A true SAE is a active fish. But not aggressive. And the more of them you have, according to my Research, and knowledge based on other peoples experience, the happy and more schooling they become.

A lot of the time people can confuse a true SAE with the pretty much the same looking Flying Fox. Which is a painfully boisterous fish, which can be very disastrous to a fish tank. Plus the more of them you have the more aggressive they become.

But thank you all for your concern.

As for the Rainbows I am still thinking, about the Iran Reds. I have the Kutubus already. And the SAE's. So it is really dissension time. I more than likely get the Iran Red because the SAE's are all level swimmers.

That is an odd tank to be stocking. So tall, not very long in comparison. Not much floor space.

Yes it is a odd size tank. I am having to get it made up. I could add a extra 2 inches to it. But no positive. I can't go wider.

One species of bottom oriented, social fish. Smaller Loaches are fine, but most appreciate more water movement. I would add a power head to the lower area for them.

I will be running a Fluval 304. And that has a very high flow rate IMO.
In my 30 gallon I have to turn it down to the slowest setting. Nothing could swim against it. The same in my 50 gallon. But some suggestions please.

CHeers all for your help,

mack

Hi,
I acutely have a small power head. Vey small. So I will fit it.

mac