Hi, im in the process of setting up a planted discus tank. Im after a discus friendly loach that wont eat shrimp. I was going to get some yoyo's but i read on a discus forum that they will eat shrimp. Now im stuck apart from clowns (not realy suitible for discus) unless you lot think yoyos will be fine what other readily available loaches would you recomend?
Thanks
Rudi
Shrimp safe loach is there one?
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Yoyos are fine at the high temperatures that Discus need, but are not a 'shrimp safe' Loach.
Any fish with a big enough mouth may eat shrimp.
Usually shrimp are kept with small fish like the smaller Tetras, Rasboras and similar fish. Not with any large fish.
In a densely planted tank there will be hiding places for the shrimp, but Loaches are designed to search out shrimp, snails and similar critters.
Maybe some of the Hillstream Loaches might be shrimp-safe. Their main diet is the algae and microscopic life living in the algae. They are mostly cool water, river tank fish, totally incompatible with Discus.
If this is not a planted tank, and you want a shrimp-like critter that might be safe from Yoyos look into Marbled Crayfish. They are great at nipping the plants, though, so they are not for a planted tank. They are not algae eaters (if that is why you want the shrimp)
Bichers (P. senegalensis) will attack and eat even a 2-3" Cray.
My Clown Loaches crowd around and catch flying bits of Cray, but I have not seen them initiate the attack.
Any fish with a big enough mouth may eat shrimp.
Usually shrimp are kept with small fish like the smaller Tetras, Rasboras and similar fish. Not with any large fish.
In a densely planted tank there will be hiding places for the shrimp, but Loaches are designed to search out shrimp, snails and similar critters.
Maybe some of the Hillstream Loaches might be shrimp-safe. Their main diet is the algae and microscopic life living in the algae. They are mostly cool water, river tank fish, totally incompatible with Discus.
If this is not a planted tank, and you want a shrimp-like critter that might be safe from Yoyos look into Marbled Crayfish. They are great at nipping the plants, though, so they are not for a planted tank. They are not algae eaters (if that is why you want the shrimp)
Bichers (P. senegalensis) will attack and eat even a 2-3" Cray.
My Clown Loaches crowd around and catch flying bits of Cray, but I have not seen them initiate the attack.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.
Happy fish keeping!
Happy fish keeping!
I don't know much about discus other than they like warm water temps 30c +, Just out of interest why are clowns ruled out as in compatible with Discus? In Rio it is not uncommon to see them together.
I have clowns and Kubotais together with 6 glass shrimp, I have lost 2 shrimp in 3 months, but I don't know if they were eaten or died, then were eaten. There are lots of hiding places in my tank but I see the shrimp out and about alot.
I have clowns and Kubotais together with 6 glass shrimp, I have lost 2 shrimp in 3 months, but I don't know if they were eaten or died, then were eaten. There are lots of hiding places in my tank but I see the shrimp out and about alot.
I am not sure where you are from but yes they are easy enough to come by. I just love the golden color with the black. As they get older the black markings grow until it almost covers their whole body. I have friends with Yoyos and Kubotais are in my opinion just a more special fish. Very social fish, when in groups of 5 or more. I got my Kubs when they were 2 inches, now they are 3 1/2, they should get to about maybe 5 inches, but thats about it.
No matter which loach you get, be prepared for a battle with ICH, very very common in new fish. Stock up on rid ICH and use a Q tank with a UV filter if you have one.
My dream tank would be a big 250g with Discus on top and as many loach species that I could get for the bottom. I actually priced one the other day, expensive - Yikes! One day though!
No matter which loach you get, be prepared for a battle with ICH, very very common in new fish. Stock up on rid ICH and use a Q tank with a UV filter if you have one.
My dream tank would be a big 250g with Discus on top and as many loach species that I could get for the bottom. I actually priced one the other day, expensive - Yikes! One day though!
They are a relatively new species to be kept in Aquariums and hence a lot of the data is still not written in stone. Loaches online suggests 24c to 28c.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-kubotai I live in Rio and my tank is 30c (86f) most of the year, even a little hotter in Summer, they don't seem to be affected by the extra 2c. Having said that there are
perhaps other more experienced fish keepers that may know better. Of the 8 I started with I lost one to ICH when I first got them and have only lost 1 more (digging accident ), no disease outbreaks and they look very very healthy. They never miss a meal and are always out playing.
The one tip that I have founs works very well to see more of them is to have lots of hiding places for them. it seems the more hiding places they have the more they feel secure enough to venture out a lot. Mine are out during the day.
I have kept them with shrimp with no problem for the last 6 months, have lost maybe 2 shrimp in that time but that would be a normal kind of loss rate. I started with 6 shrimp, now have 4. I am planning on upgrading my 65g soon and would definitely get more shrimp.
Just for the record my tank is 65g, has 6 clowns (3 inches) and 6 kuboatis (3inches), 12 neon tetras, 1 pearl gourami, 4 shrimp. After the initial setup issues all fish have been very healthy and very happy. Even the neon tetras do not get bothered by the loaches.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-kubotai I live in Rio and my tank is 30c (86f) most of the year, even a little hotter in Summer, they don't seem to be affected by the extra 2c. Having said that there are
perhaps other more experienced fish keepers that may know better. Of the 8 I started with I lost one to ICH when I first got them and have only lost 1 more (digging accident ), no disease outbreaks and they look very very healthy. They never miss a meal and are always out playing.
The one tip that I have founs works very well to see more of them is to have lots of hiding places for them. it seems the more hiding places they have the more they feel secure enough to venture out a lot. Mine are out during the day.
I have kept them with shrimp with no problem for the last 6 months, have lost maybe 2 shrimp in that time but that would be a normal kind of loss rate. I started with 6 shrimp, now have 4. I am planning on upgrading my 65g soon and would definitely get more shrimp.
Just for the record my tank is 65g, has 6 clowns (3 inches) and 6 kuboatis (3inches), 12 neon tetras, 1 pearl gourami, 4 shrimp. After the initial setup issues all fish have been very healthy and very happy. Even the neon tetras do not get bothered by the loaches.
General feeling is an absolute minimum of a group is 3. I personally think 5 is a better minimum. They are very social fish, always together, they lie on top of each other when sleeping. They dance around the tank in groups, hence the more the better. Kubotia are smaller than YoYo's hence if you were thinking your tank could take the bioload of say 4 yoyos, then it could easily take the bioload of 5 Kubotias.
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starsplitter7
- Posts: 5054
- Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:04 pm
- Location: Tampa, Florida
If you have a MaidenHead Aquatics near you, you can get a huge variety of loaches. Emma works for Maidenhead and posts pictures regularly of the loaches they get in. I have never seen such an amazing variety.
I would recommend Kuhlies and horseheads as possible compatibles for the shrimp. You could also try a larger shrimp like a bamboo shrimp. They need warm temps. It is very important to make sure they get enough to eat. They are about 2 inches, hefty shrimp, but harmless.
I would recommend Kuhlies and horseheads as possible compatibles for the shrimp. You could also try a larger shrimp like a bamboo shrimp. They need warm temps. It is very important to make sure they get enough to eat. They are about 2 inches, hefty shrimp, but harmless.
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palaeodave
- Posts: 1370
- Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2006 5:25 am
- Location: London/York
If you wouldn't keep clowns with discus because they're too boisterous, then certainly don't get yoyos as they're even more so! All the botiine loaches are at least inquisitive so I don't know how well they'd go with discus. Any of the Pangio spp. would be a better choice, although I don't know if adult discus might view them as noodles...
"Science is a lot like sex. Sometimes something useful comes of it, but that’s not the reason we’re doing it" ー R Feynman
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