Sad loaches? =(

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kaffinated
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Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 12:21 pm

Sad loaches? =(

Post by kaffinated » Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:57 am

Long story short.... (kinda)

Okay, so originally I had my loaches in a ten gallon tank with a 20 gallon filter and I just had it set up like a normal tank. The filter hung off the back in a corner that gets sunlight and every morning (and almost all day) my loaches would play along the sides of the glass in the current and have a grand ole time. (btw, there are 13 loaches, a few algae eating shrimp, 3 "glowfish" and two catfish in the tank atm).

Within the last few days I've moved them to a 20g long, rearranged stuff, added some more plants, and put the filter on the side of the tank to create more of a stream effect and have moved things around so much I'm sure they're stressed to a point. (Though they're somewhat used to it from me, I used to move things in the smaller tank all the time and they'd come, check me out, see what I was doing, etc. but it never effected their behavior.

But, I've noticed that now that I've got the filter on the side rather than on the back like it used to be, I don't see them playing against the glass like they used to. Now, this is a 20g long with an aquaclear 70 (that is just running like a reg filter, I started doing the pvc and the river thing but it seemed to take up half the tank and was just a pita and from the three pet stores I deal with around here they all said it was overkill.

Should I put the filter back on the back of the tank again, in "their corner," where they used to play? I know the current will be significantly stronger so maybe move it a little more centered or do you think they're just adjusting to their new surroundings... any thoughts?

They used to be so playful and active, I'm worried about them. I switched all this around so they'd be happier and have more room and though they still come out, explore and what not, they just don't seem the same....

Thanks so much!

Sharkscott2
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Post by Sharkscott2 » Tue Jul 20, 2010 12:50 pm

I've seen my loaches swim up into the HOB filter output as well. Usually ony for a week or two after first being introduced to a new tank. I've always thought that for the loach to them it feels like they're swimming up stream. Trying to just get up and over that little waterfall to the next pool of water.

Maybe they would do this in the 10 gallon becuase they wanted more room and in their minds were simulating the behaviour of moving to new territory by swimming up aginst the flow.

Once moved to a bigger tank they find more acceptable and no longer feel the urge to leave. And thus don't swim against the filter for you.

My loaches don't swim vertically all that often against the filter outflow. I will catch them swimming against the power heads in a horizontal direction from time to time.

I don't know if i'm right, just a different take on it.

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Keith Wolcott
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Location: Charleston, Illinois USA

Post by Keith Wolcott » Tue Jul 20, 2010 5:20 pm

It also takes some time for loaches to adjust to new surroundings so the behavior that you are seeing in the first couple of weeks will most likely change, but not necessarily to what you had before.

kaffinated
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Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 12:21 pm

Post by kaffinated » Wed Jul 21, 2010 1:25 pm

So I moved the filter into the back corner again and my catfish are having a field day with it but my loaches are still really shy. Could it be that there are too few for them to feel secure enough to play in such a large tank? I've got an Aquaclear 70 running in a 20gallon long with 13 loaches - maybe getting a few more friends for them would make them more secure and playful again? I miss my buddies.... they played ALLLLLLLL the time - for WEEKS... I stopped watching tv for a while they were such a trip. Could that make a difference too?

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Keith Wolcott
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Post by Keith Wolcott » Wed Jul 21, 2010 3:23 pm

I would not add any more to a 20 gallon tank. What kind of loaches are they? 13 of even the smallest kinds of loaches would be pretty heavy stocking for a 20 gallon long. They need time to adjust to the new situation.

kaffinated
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Joined: Wed Jul 14, 2010 12:21 pm

Post by kaffinated » Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:13 am

They're the banded kuhlis. (I swear they look like little ferrets, and mine used to act like em too). They come out at nite and hang out but they just don't play like they used to... They'd swim up, down, back and forth along the glass of the tank, with the current, almost all morning and half the afternoon. Almost wish I'd left em in the small tank, they seemed to have so much more fun... I'll give it some time and see.

Thanks for the advice guys...

Oh, and am I reading things right that if I want shrimp to clean my algae they'll need to be big ones or the Kuhlis'll get em? lol... I used to have quite a few and now i only see the big one and one that hides really really really well lol...

NancyD
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Post by NancyD » Thu Jul 22, 2010 12:55 pm

My kuhlis don't eat cherry shrimp
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