Can you keep different types of loach together?

[FishyLady]

Just wondering really what would happen if I put 6 of another type of loach e.g. Blue botia or Zebra loach in with my 6 clown loaches, would they shoal together? or would they squabble?

Val (who is fast becoming a loachaholic )

[raving_wayne]

i have in the past had both striata (zebra) and b. modesta (blues) in wiht my clowns and had no issues altho the blues are a lot more boisterous then clowns i personnally had no issues they shoaled in there own groups and occasionally you would see them together


rave

[Diana]

Most of the time different species will not hang out together the way different species of Corydorus will. When you keep Loaches get enough of any one species that it will be a good group, and not depend on several species getting together to make a school.
Most of the generally more peaceful Loaches can be mixed, as long as each of their needs are met:
Water temperature: Loaches are all over the map here, so do your research.
Water movement: Most Loaches thrive in more water movement that the average community tank, and some specialists want even more than that. Couple of good items here at Loaches. One is a sticky in the forums about oxygen in the tank. The other is an article about Hillstream Loaches.
Tank size: make sure there are enough hiding places, suited to each species, that everyone can find a spot either alone, or with buddies of the same or different species.
Food: I feed a rotation of food. Not every fish is thrilled with every meal, but over the course of a week everyone gets plenty to eat.

[FishyLady]

Thanks for replys, decided against mixing the species as the zebra ones which I liked are considerably smaller than the clowns which I already have. Perhaps sometime I will set up another tank!!

Val

[BotiaMaximus]

Zebras go pretty good with the Clowns and it is good that they remain smaller - that way your Clowns will obviously be the head Loach in the tank. I have the two together and they work out nice. I also have another tank with Clowns and YoYo Loaches - Again the Clowns are Bigger and it is their tank.

I would not recommend the B. Modesta - they can get aggressive and might nip at your Clowns, or worse yet, bully and intimidate them. I don't think you would like some mean fish bullying your Clowns?

And... don't forget the Rainbows as friendly tankmates for your your Clowns to have for some company and assurance that it is safe to come out and play.

[OneWay]

So far I do not have any problems with Kubs (5), YoYo's (3), Darios(5) and Clowns(12) under one roof.

The Darios keep to themselves. The Kubs and YoYo's are best pals and hang out as if they are one and the same. The clowns just hang with themselves.

I keep looking for several more YoYo's but atm they are hard to find in my area and the ones I do find are small and sickly.

[FishyLady]

Zebras go pretty good with the Clowns and it is good that they remain smaller - that way your Clowns will obviously be the head Loach in the tank.

I would not recommend the B. Modesta - they can get aggressive and might nip at your Clowns, or worse yet, bully and intimidate them..

Well obviously B. Modesta is out of the picture!!! cheers for that bit of info, nice to know that the zebras are a possibility though, and I haven't forgotten about the rainbow fish but I read that they sometimes squabble among themselves? Am also re-considering zebra danios? I have to be very sure before I let anything else in the same tank as my 'babies'!!!

Val

[BotiaMaximus]

The Rainbows will squabble a bit, just the males, but no worse and only amongst themselves, less even than your Clowns will as they get bigger. All harmless though, not like they will be tearing each other's fins up. The Zebra (Striata) Loaches look so nice in the tank with the Clowns. Those and some Rainbows would make a happy tank.

I have pics of mine up in the Loach Forum - Post is called "My First Pics" has Clowns, Zebras, and Australian Rainbows all together if you want to get a visual.

I'm not very familiar with Danio's, I'll leave that up to someone with experience with them.

[starsplitter7]

I am pretty sure many danios like cooler water than Clowns.

I would put the Clowns, Zebras and Rainbows together if your tank is big enough.