Loach Advice?

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Little Bit
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Feb 19, 2013 9:33 am
Location: Galveston, TX
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Loach Advice?

Post by Little Bit » Tue Feb 19, 2013 1:19 pm

Hey guys! I'm new to the site and the hobby, when it comes to caring for my fish on my own. Broke college student here lol.
I know my tank has issues and I'm working on fixing them. This is my current set up and stock list.

1/2 gal Tank
1 Betta- Deadalus

1 gal Tank
1 Betta- Leviathan

10 Gal Tank
1 Weather Loach - Zepher
3 Kuhli Loaches - Wiggles, Giggles, and Squiggles
1 Bristlenosed Pleco- No Name
1 Betta- Zoltan (In breeders net, rescued from idiots fighting bettas and isn't entirely recovered yet)

I KNOW the 10 gal i overstocked. And for some reason I keep ending up with bettas....I started out with 1 and ended up with 3.

I currently siphon the tank every day, sometimes twice if it gets really messy to keep poo levels down. I also have a filter made for a 20 gal strapped to my tank. Between all this my water's chem levels are actually perfect. I'm neurotic I know.

In order to fix my overstocking issue I'm planning on getting a 55 gal or larger over Spring Break and leaving it at home to cycle until I come home for the summer. Then I will move all four loaches and the pleco to it. I'll probably put Deadalus in there as well considering he's the most chill betta EVER. He actually will eat and cuddle with my loaches. Zoltan on the other hand chases them all over the place. Zoltan will get the 10 gal either to himself, or I'll divide it between him and Leviathan.

My problem is though that the max tank size I can have at school is my 10 gal. I live close enough to home that I can keep up with the 55 gal and not leave it to my family to mess with too much.

But I also am one of those people who needs a pet mainly to help with my anxiety issues. I'm wondering who I should take back to college with me. My loaches are my favorites, hands down especially Zepher. He likes to nibble my fingers. ;) But I can't take him back int he 10 gal, he's going to get too big.

So opinions on my master plan for the 55 gal and idea of who to take back? The two fish that can't go back with me are Zepher and the bristlenose. They'll both outgrow my 10 gal within the next year or so. Right now every exceot the bettas are very small so it's not pressing....yet...But I want to give my fish a better life and feel like an idiot for ending up with this many, especially in a 10 gal. I also was wondering what tank size would be good, I'm debating between a 75 gal and 55 gal. I want my loaches to be comfortable and happy. They have been my favorite fish since I was a small child. :)

Facts about my fish.
Bristlenose pleco:
Max Size: 6 inches
Water Temp: 71-80 degrees F
Current Size: 1/2 inch

Weather Loach:
Max Size: 12 inches
Water Temp: 50- 77 Degrees F
Current Size: 2 1/2 inches

Kuhli Loaches:
Max Size: 4 inches
Water Temp: 75- 85 degrees F
Current Size: All about 2 1/2 inches

Bettas:
Max size: 2 inches
Water Temp: 76-82 degrees F
Current sizes:
Deadalus- 1/2 inch
Zoltan: 1 inch
Leviathan: 2 1/2 inches

I keep the tanks about 75 degrees but I may split everyone up as I've read weather loaches like colder temperatures. :3

EDIT: Also wondering how to train my "squiggle fish" As everyone in my dorm calls them, to eat out of my hands? or if that's even possible.

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