Loaches Online Forum

Let me start by saying I'm a total noob who has only in the last week really started learning about Loaches after being recommended to buy some in my current tank.

Present Tank Setup: 36 Gallon Bow front. (Aqueon)
Fish:
15 Tiger Barbs.
3 Cory Cats (1 Skunk and 2 Emerald)
3 Pigmy Cory Cats (Taken from a smaller Aquarium I retired)
6 Octo's
4 Clown Loaches (Youngsters about 1.5 inches or so.)

I do about a 5 gallon water change a week. It is fully cycled about 2 months old (But did not go through a mini cycle as I moved over all filters and substrate from a 20 gallon tank.)

Okay so here I am after reading these forums understanding the type of mistake I made, and realizing I have two choices, either get a larger tank or take the 4 Loaches back. After having them for a week my girlfriend and I have fallen in love with them. From the way they play amongst themselves, to how they interact with the tiger Barbs, just way too much fun.

Now the next dilemma is the largest fish Tank I was able to find at our local stores and Petco/Pets Smart are 75 gallon tanks. I though, shoot that should do it until I read a few posts here that mention 75 will likely need an upgrade after about a year or so....Back to the drawing board!!

Well my thoughts are now leaning towards a 120 Gallon tank. Find it somewhere online! And start to stock up a bit to this:

25 Barbs (Get some assortment in Colors)
5 Skunk Corys (Love those little buggers!)
6-7 Clown Loaches (Increase by 3 or so from what I have)
And 2 or 3 exotic type plecosomus. (Depends on what we find, GF really loves these exotic types, but I will do some research this time around!)

Now my quick questions are:

Think that 125 potential setup will work? Too many fishes? Dude you should add more??

I will likely need 2 months to cycle the new tank (Maybe less if I use the old tank substrate and filters.) I think the Clowns should be okay in that 36 gallon in the meantime. Thoughts?

If you are an aquarium enthusiast then you should have at least 2 tanks so you can bread, hospital or separate aggressive fish from others.

Always think, it's better to under stock than to over stock, when it comes to fish tanks.

I still have a 20 (My original tank!) so I should be good. I will have a 36, 20, 120, 5, and 2.5

Oh getting to stock a 125g so exciting! My only thought is on the pleco/s I have one in my 100g. Heres the thing about plecos they get huge mines about 12inches or so and also they get lazy. The older they get in my opinion the less excited they are about cleaning alge. And one last thing is that pleco's produce an insane amount of waste so they make lots of bad stuff that for all intent and purpose poisons your tank. So if you have more then 1 or 2 just make sure you do LOTS of frequent water changes. Good luck and keep us posted!!

When you get a pleco, think about Bristlenoses. They stay around 5-6 inches. You could have a couple in your tank. They are cute, well behaved, get along with the occupants you mentioned.

120 gallons sounds pretty good to me. Give everyone lots of hiding places. Really cycle the 120 well, or the clowns will die. They don't handle new tanks well (Less than 6 months after it is cycled).

Where do you live? Maybe you have a local fish club? THey would be helpful in finidng a 120 and probably at a decent price.

We got our 120 off of Craigs;ist, and it seems larger tanks come up fairly regularly.

As for Plecos, we have an L204 -- they stay small but are POOP MONSTERS -- gotta vac twice a week 'cause of him (he is pretty though)

Bushy/Bristle nose plecos are a great choice for algae eater for most tanks. Some people prefer the yellow/gold color morph of them although they tend to cost a few more dollars.

I advise anyone to get some plants to suck up the nitrogen (aka pleco poop) in your water. If you are intimidated by aquarium plants a pothos vine can be hung in the tank and will root in the water. Just leave some of the leaves in the air. It'll do a fantastic job of cleaning your water once established. it may even out compete algae.

And yes large tanks tend to be easy to find on Craigslist, at least where I live. I bought a 125 gallon with stand for $100 a few months ago. It didn't have a lid or lights, but a steal non the less.