New Member, need some advise on 37 Gallon tank for loaches!

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Chocobo81
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:03 pm

New Member, need some advise on 37 Gallon tank for loaches!

Post by Chocobo81 » Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:12 pm

Hi guys, known this site many many years ago. Always wanted to get loaches before but never got the room back then. I just moved to a bigger place and was wondering how many loaches I can put in a 37 gallon tank. I know its probably too small for loaches but I really don't need a big big tank.

What do you guys suggest I do? Thanks!

Diana
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Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Post by Diana » Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:09 pm

If the tank is a relatively low one, then Loaches will work just fine, as long as you look at the smaller species. Perhaps Kubotai, Zebras, Kuhlies and similar fish. Nothing larger. A long, low tank this size would also work for a hillstream tank.

If this is a tall tank, without much floor space I would limit it to some Kuhlies.
Waterflow is going to be difficult in the taller tanks, so under stock it.

Either way Loaches plus a school of Barbs, Rasboras, Danios or similar fish would be nice. Decide on the Loaches, then match their temperature and water chemistry needs to some school or other.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

Chocobo81
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:03 pm

Post by Chocobo81 » Mon Feb 09, 2009 1:58 am

Tank size is gonna be 30 1/4 x 12 1/2 x 22 3/4 L x W x H. I'm interested in the clowns loaches only for now. I know clowns get pretty big but is this tank really that small for them?

CraigM
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Post by CraigM » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:21 am

For any but the shortest length of time, yes, it is too small.

Fed properly with good clean water you can grow clowns to 4-5 inches within the first year. At that size, with a minimum group of 5 for their proper behavior, you have an over stocked tank that won't let them thrive to their fullest.

My all-time favorite loach is a clown, it drives me crazy that I can't have a bigger tank than I have now.. For the time being though, it has to suffice that I look at the clowns in the display tanks at the fish shop.

newshound
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Location: northern ontario

Post by newshound » Mon Feb 09, 2009 3:06 pm

way to small
drain your pool!

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LoachOrgy
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Post by LoachOrgy » Mon Feb 09, 2009 8:15 pm

if you get botia striata you should be good for that size tank. ive had mine for more than a year. they have not grown much at all. so the upgrades won't be so often. i think they max out at 4" from what ive read.
All your loaches are belong to me!

Diana
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Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Post by Diana » Mon Feb 09, 2009 9:30 pm

is this tank really that small for them?
Way too small. Clown Loaches would not even fit in there for their first year of growth. I moved mine out of quarantine into this length tank (a standard 29 gallon) for only a few months, then into a 4' long tank for the remainder of their first year. They can grow pretty fast when they have been treated to kill internal parasites.

For a tank this size and shape I would suggest only the smaller Loaches, perhaps Zebras or Kubotai.
If you can make (and keep) the commitment to something like a 6' long tank in the very near future, then you could use this as a grow out tank for Clown Loaches for a few months. Think of it as trying to raise Golden Retriever puppies in a studio apartment. Not much of a problem for the first few months, but not good at all carried on for a year.

The shape is not really right for bottom oriented fish, either. It is very tall in relation to its length and width. I would keep only a small school of bottom fish and some mid and upper tank fish that are rather sedentary, or are small. Perhaps a 2" maximum length if the fish is at all an active species. 3" if it is a quieter species. This shape of tank is also rather hard to keep well aerated, oxygen levels drop when the water is not well circulated. No matter which way you decide, understock this tank. Treat it more like about 25 gallons rather than 37 gallons.

I have a tank a lot like this, 1' x 2' x 3'. 45 gallons. That 2' depth makes the surface area only 1' x 3', or 3 square feet.
Compare this to most of my other tanks that also hold 45 gallons. They vary (I have 4 of these) from 15-18" x 4', or about double the surface area. (not all are double, but one is: 18" x 4' = 6 square feet)
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

Chocobo81
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:03 pm

Post by Chocobo81 » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:31 am

I could get a bigger tank but when it comes time to move again it'l be a real pain to move a bigger tank around. I guess Ill get a bigger tank for now and figure something out when I do move again?

How about a 120 gallon 48 x 24 x 25? That should be big enough for a couple years right? Thats the biggest tank I'm willing to get and if thats not big enough then I'll just have to wait to get clowns. =(

Please tell me thats big enough for a couple years.

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Graeme McKellar
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Location: Crystal Creek. Australia

Post by Graeme McKellar » Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:54 am

Yes Chocobo81 a tank that size is a good size to start with Clowns but you will probably be looking at a 6x2x2 before 2 years as Clowns do grow to over 5 or 6 inches in this time if fed and cared for correctly.Please do as much research as you can on the Forum before you get any Clowns as I consider them one of the hardest Botine Loaches to keep. I did not get Clowns for 2 years because I felt I had to do my "Apprentichip" in keeping Loaches before I considered Clowns. I have 6 Clowns (5-6inches), 4 Yo-Yo's(4inches+),6 Kubotai(3to4 inches),4 Rostrata(3inches+), 2 Khulies and 10 Cherry Barbs in a 6X2X2.
Cheers Graeme.
"I want to speak with many things and I will not leave this planet without knowing what I came to find, without solving this affair, and people are not enough. I have to go much farther and I have to go much closer." - Pablo Neruda.

Chocobo81
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:03 pm

Post by Chocobo81 » Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:19 pm

Thanks for all the replies, I'm gonna use this 37 gallon for smaller loaches like Zebras and Kubotai and get a 120 gallon tank for clowns. The 120 gallon tank is 4x2x2. Should be good for a few years. Hopefully I'll get my own house by then and I can get a 8x2x2 tank for all of them.

Don't think I need to worry about keeping the 37 gallon aerated. I'm planning on using a Emperor 400 and a HOT Magnum Canister Filter plus a powerhead all for the 37 gallon. I also have a Magnum 350 Canister Filter I can run for water polishing.

On the 120 gallon I'm thinking of using 2 Emperor 400, 2 HOT Magnum Canister and a Eheim Pro III Thermo Filter 2180. That should kepp the water pretty clean.

Its gonna take awhile to set everything up but I'll post some pictures when its done. The more I read, the more I wanna get my tanks setup.

I went to my LFS and saw some pretty big clown loaches for sale. Its gotta be at least 6 to 7 inches long. They are selling it for $99.99!! Is that a good price for them? I'm not planning on getting them just asking! :)

Chocobo81
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Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 3:03 pm

Post by Chocobo81 » Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:24 pm

Forgot to say that 2 powerheads will be in the 120 gallon too. What do you guys think of the setup?

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