Loaches Online Forum

I haven't posted much lately, so I thought I'd like to show a little update on my loach tanks.

Here's my 55 gallon. I've tried to redo it to be more river-like, with added filtration and a bit of a current, and with lots of hiding places. The sids and rasboras love it! They are always busy exploring or playing in the current.



In this tank are the rasbora espei's (about 25?)



Two SAE's



and 11 sidthimunki



there are also two danio kyathit. I would love to find a few more, but for now they school with the rasboras.

Here is the 40 gallon pangio tank. Thanks to many of you for help in setting this one up! it's grown into a chaotic jungle of crypts and java fern



I have several species of pangio in here. Here is a myersi, possible kuhli, and a pangio pulla



here's my crazy patterned kuhli, along with a pangio I bought from Franks Aquarium as a pulla... I'm not so sure what he really is



here's both pullas (??) along with one of the oblongas. See how different they look?



The tank is also home to a few boraras mehra, and two corydoras arcuatus.

Also a few amano shrimp.



What started off as a few berried cherry shrimp...



turned into this!



Fortunately, I'm able to sell a lot of them locally, so the fish don't have to put up with this all the time!

Most of these pictures are a few weeks old, but the two full tank shots I took on Sunday to commemorate a memorable day. The Aquatic Gardner's Convention was held here over the weekend, and I was a volunteer. After the banquet on Saturday night, I finally got a friend to introduce me to Takashi Amano, because I was too shy to ask him to sign my book. We talked briefly, and he asked if he could come to my house and photograph my tanks and interview me for a column about "women in the hobby" in his magazine!

I only got two hours sleep that night, trying to get the tanks clean and the plants trimmed and the house presentable! Let this be a lesson - always keep your tanks looking nice - you never know who might be coming to visit!

Mr. Amano was kind enough to not comment on my aquascaping, but he did seem to like the sidthimunkis who knows, he might become a loachaholic too!

Wow!! Your tanks are wonderful. I especially like your pangio tank---it's just perfect. And to have Mr. Amano in your home to view your tanks....that's incredible. Thanks for sharing.

Your tanks are lovely and I'm so jealous you got to meet the planted tank guru/master Takashi!

Those are beautiful tanks! You have a wonderful collection of loaches...how long did it take to find them all? Thanks for sharing the pictures!

Soul-Hugger

Wonderful tanks & a special honor!

Thank you everyone! The whole experience was a little surreal

soul-hugger, it didn't take too long to amass the loaches - just a couple of years. Half the sids were local, and the other half I ordered from Frank's Aquarium. The pangios were a mixture of random finds at local stores, rehomings, and online orders.

I was looking through your pics, then I saw Amano and kind of freaked out a little.
I applaud you. That is a great story. Takashi Amano's books are my favorites also.

beautiful tanks and well suited to the fish in them, and congrats on meeting Amano i think his landscapes are superb.
who is that on the right of Amano, i'm sure ive seen them?.

mick

chefkeith, I've been doing more than my share of freaking out too. I've been hovering between amazement and mortification.

mickthefish - from left to right: Phil, a local planted tank guy who introduced me to Amano; Tomoko, Amano's translator (holding my cat Oliver); Amano; then me; then my husband Chris.

"well suited to the fish in them" - that's a big compliment on the loach forum - thank you!!

thanks for that, i thought you and your husband reminded me of Eric Bodrock who was at the catfish convention earlier this year here in wigan.
they're well deserved compliments youve had, be smug about it.

mick

I looked him up and I do see the resemblance! Funny thing - I hadn't heard of Eric until you mentioned him. Turns out he spoke at our local club a few years ago - people were just talking about him today at our meeting! Small world

That is a really great story. Your tanks might not be Mr Amano's style, but they are gorgeous, as are your fish.

Stunning Im going to really annoying and ask what you have planted in your sid tank ?



Ashleigh

Thanks Plecoperson and Ashleigh!

In the Sid tank:

The tall thin-leaved stem plant on the left is Hygrophila corymbosa v. 'Angustifolia'
The tall wide-leaved plant on the right is Hygrophila corymbosa v. 'Siamensis'
on the driftwood is Microsorium pteropus, and a little bit of Java moss
and there are a few Cryptocoryne lutea in the foreground.

that's it!

Forgot to say how impressive this tank is, really beautiful! I love aquascapes and was really impressed when I first saw the tanks of Mr. Amano. His books still top my "to buy" list.