Loaches Online Forum

I know this is a bit controversial from I have read. Does anyone prsently have this kind of setup? I have 6 Burundis and 12 clowns in a 125 tank.
Thanks for any comments!

They naturally are at different ends of the water pH spectrum. I have both in different tanks. Mpimbwe in one 100 gallon and clown loaches in another. I too thought of housing them together and decided against it. 7.0 pH for the clowns and 8.6 for the Mpimbwe.

Something to think about - the frontosas - would they be OK in pH 7.0? If so, if you could gradually bring their pH to that level and introduce the clowns you should be ok.

In my experience with cichlids and loaches, as long as the loach is not small enough to fit into the mouth of the cichlid you should be perfectly fine.

I'm sure this may pull in some flaming responses, but, just be aware, your mileage may vary!

Sure it can be done but at what detriment to the fish long term? I really do get annoyed by people who mix species of fish from VERY different water chemistries and needs and insist their fish are happy because they are still apparently "thriving"..

Fish are evolved for a ranging tolerance of water types and thrive at the best parameters of course but to expect any fish to live in water well outside their evolved range is deluded in my opinion.
Whether you expect Rift Lake Cichlids to live in water with little hardness and a pH far below their needs or a Loach to thrive in high alkaline hard as cement water. This can and will have an impact on their osmoregulatory system and will have long term implications on their health and ability to fight off any pathogen.

This is also before you take into account the other requirements the fish need..

http://www.loaches.com/articles/why-loa ... i-cichlids

Martin.

JWhipple wrote:Something to think about - the frontosas - would they be OK in pH 7.0? If so, if you could gradually bring their pH to that level and introduce the clowns you should be ok.

In my experience with cichlids and loaches, as long as the loach is not small enough to fit into the mouth of the cichlid you should be perfectly fine.

I'm sure this may pull in some flaming responses, but,r just be aware, your mileage may vary!

The ph in my tank is approx 7.6 - 7.8 so basically its a bit on the high end for the loaches and la bit on the low end for the frontosas. So the the ph range does overlap.

yellowsub9 wrote:

JWhipple wrote:Something to think about - the frontosas - would they be OK in pH 7.0? If so, if you could gradually bring their pH to that level and introduce the clowns you should be ok.

In my experience with cichlids and loaches, as long as the loach is not small enough to fit into the mouth of the cichlid you should be perfectly fine.

I'm sure this may pull in some flaming responses, but,r just be aware, your mileage may vary!

The ph in my tank is approx 7.6 - 7.8 so basically its a bit on the high end for the loaches and la bit on the low end for the frontosas. So the the ph range does overlap.

Clowns need moving water, Fronts need still water. Both are kind of skittish and it will be exacerbated during feeding. The water will be too cold for the loaches or too hot for the fronts. Marginal conditions for each. Why?

Gary Stanton wrote:

yellowsub9 wrote:

JWhipple wrote:Something to think about - the frontosas - would they be OK in pH 7.0? If so, if you could gradually bring their pH to that level and introduce the clowns you should be ok.

In my experience with cichlids and loaches, as long as the loach is not small enough to fit into the mouth of the cichlid you should be perfectly fine.

I'm sure this may pull in some flaming responses, but,r just be aware, your mileage may vary!

The ph in my tank is approx 7.6 - 7.8 so basically its a bit on the high end for the loaches and la bit on the low end for the frontosas. So the the ph range does overlap.

Clowns need moving water, Fronts need still water. Both are kind of skittish and it will be exacerbated during feeding. The water will be too cold for the loaches or too hot for the fronts. Marginal conditions for each. Why?

Don't stone me but I keep the temp at 80 which satisfies both - I may purchase another tank soon but for now they are doing well. They are all well fed and water is changed weekly.

JWhipple wrote:
In my experience with cichlids and loaches, as long as the loach is not small enough to fit into the mouth of the cichlid you should be perfectly fine.

It's not fine at all if you love clown loaches and want to provide for them an environment that they can thrive in. If you don't love your loaches, then why even bother keeping them? There are other fish that would be more suitable.

yellowsub9 wrote:The ph in my tank is approx 7.6 - 7.8 so basically its a bit on the high end for the loaches and la bit on the low end for the frontosas. So the the ph range does overlap.

pH overlaps are still no justification for keeping two species of differing needs and requirements together.

Would you keep Discus and Frontosa together??