55 Gallon Stocking

[Karatepig]

Hey everybody. I'm getting a nicely priced 55gal(w/ heater + hood/light) and I was doing research the other night for stocking and I came across loaches. I love loaches, that's all I really need to say!
Clowns aren't really for me, I love Black Kuhlis (would like even amount of banded and solid coloreds) and Yoyos. I would love to have around 5 yoyos and 4 kuhlis if that would work. I appreciate other numbers too.

The real issue is picking out other tank mates. I am really bad at deciding species other than the star of the show, and since these stars are going to be bottom feeders, it will be harder since I mainly love stocking with bottom feeders, so I turn to you. I need suggestions on tank mates that will work with these loaches. Oh, and I have a common plecostomus that I believe is a sailfin that will be moving into the 55gal when it gets set up. I love gourami and tetras, if any of those would work.

Also, would it be okay to set up a small tank to farm snails to feed these guys? I think that would be a great way to go, but I don't know all of the variables.

I appreciate any help. I may later be posting a thread with questions about the care of these loaches, but that's not to worry about right now. The tank won't be setup until Christmas most likely.

Make sure to check lower, I've made a lot of different changes with my ideas.

[NancyD]

Well, I see a few problems for your 55g stocking. Yoyos get a little too big to keep a group of 6 & they are a bit too boisterous for kuhlis. Have you looked at histrionicas? They are similarly colored to yoyos but a bit smaller & more mellow. Kubotai have a nice size & reputation for a group of 6. If you haven't looked at sidthimunki, they are small but packe with personality. You could have a good sized group of maybe 10-12 if they'll be the only bottom fish. Striata a in between those in size, quite pretty but a bit shy IME.

If you love kuhlis more than botias, you could have 12 or so with smaller more mellow "other fish", a big school of small tetras or rasboras, honey gouramis etc... & not with the big pleco. Your pleco will outgrow a 55 in a couple years, you really need to think smaller, an ancitrus (bristle nose) would be a much better fit.

As for dither fish, I'm a big rasbora fan, never nippy like some tetras can be & bare from Asia like loaches. Smaller barbs, NOT tiger barbs, might be good, danios can be good too, if a bit hyperactive. Tetras will depend on your other fish choices...neons & cardinals are pretty small, black less attractive (I like red tail rasboras better), serape, nippy IME, skirts, yuck....

As for gouramis, it'll depend on which loaches & dither fish you want. A single blue or gold can probably work with kubotai or histys, they're often slightly aggressive. But my all time favorite are pearl gourami, so graceful & pretty! I'm not sure how they would do with the bigger loaches, but sids or striatas would be ok. A male & maybe 1 or 2 females, nice! Dwarf gouramis are often less than healthy & surprisingly aggressive for their size, think hard before getting (1 only or M & 2 F...if you can find females).

[Karatepig]

Well, I see a few problems for your 55g stocking. Yoyos get a little too big to keep a group of 6 & they are a bit too boisterous for kuhlis. Have you looked at histrionicas? They are similarly colored to yoyos but a bit smaller & more mellow. Kubotai have a nice size & reputation for a group of 6. If you haven't looked at sidthimunki, they are small but packe with personality. You could have a good sized group of maybe 10-12 if they'll be the only bottom fish. Striata a in between those in size, quite pretty but a bit shy IME.

If you love kuhlis more than botias, you could have 12 or so with smaller more mellow "other fish", a big school of small tetras or rasboras, honey gouramis etc... & not with the big pleco. Your pleco will outgrow a 55 in a couple years, you really need to think smaller, an ancitrus (bristle nose) would be a much better fit.

As for dither fish, I'm a big rasbora fan, never nippy like some tetras can be & bare from Asia like loaches. Smaller barbs, NOT tiger barbs, might be good, danios can be good too, if a bit hyperactive. Tetras will depend on your other fish choices...neons & cardinals are pretty small, black less attractive (I like red tail rasboras better), serape, nippy IME, skirts, yuck....

As for gouramis, it'll depend on which loaches & dither fish you want. A single blue or gold can probably work with kubotai or histys, they're often slightly aggressive. But my all time favorite are pearl gourami, so graceful & pretty! I'm not sure how they would do with the bigger loaches, but sids or striatas would be ok. A male & maybe 1 or 2 females, nice! Dwarf gouramis are often less than healthy & surprisingly aggressive for their size, think hard before getting (1 only or M & 2 F...if you can find females).

I quite like the kubotais. They're very pretty. Would they work with kuhlis? Some numbers would be nice if they do work well together. Also, I'm aware of the potential size of the plecostomus I have, and I have places where I can re-home it once it gets that large. He'll be better off in the 55g compared to my current 20g. He's still just 2-3 inches currently, for your information.

If I did a school of cardinals how many could I do?

I don't have time to finish my questions. I'll check back in tomorrow. Thanks for the help.

EDIT: After some thought on the subject, I'd really love to have around 6 kuhlis + 5 kubotais. I'd also love to have 6-7 cardinal tetras, and 5-6 congos. Maybe some other smaller dithers. Thoughts on the stock? Would I need superb filtration or would a standard hanging 55gallon filter be okay?

[Karatepig]

Looking for some more input... Thanks guys.

[arny]

I've had Kubotai with kuhlis and Yoyos with Kuhlis and would definately go with Nancy's suggestion as I believe my yoyos actually ate my Kuhli loaches. At the moment I have Kubotai with black Kuhlis and they don't bother each other at all.

[arny]

Just read your edit. I think once the congos got fully grown they would predate the cardinals, just from my experience - congos have pretty big teeth
Others will have better advise on stocking levels.

[Karatepig]

I've had Kubotai with kuhlis and Yoyos with Kuhlis and would definately go with Nancy's suggestion as I believe my yoyos actually ate my Kuhli loaches. At the moment I have Kubotai with black Kuhlis and they don't bother each other at all.

It's reassuring to hear that, I knew that they were smaller and more peaceful than yoyos. I'll do some research on congos. Thanks for the advice.

[Karatepig]

Polka-Dot Loach / Botia Kubotai x5
Black Kuhli Loach / Pangio Kuhlii x6 (Mostly looking for striped kuhlis.)
Cardinal Tetra / Paracheirodon axelrodi x10
Gold Neon Tetra / Paracheirodon innesi x10
Sailfin Pleco / Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps x1 (Already have this guy, he's healthy and good as ever.)

I believe this is my first true dream stock. I plan on taking a large piece of driftwood and positioning it on the leftmost side of the tank, and sticking some pvc pipes behind it with some java moss or something else that's pretty hardy to cover it up. On the rightmost side I plan on having lots of hiding spots in larger rocks and caves.

Might post a thread on hardy low-maintenance plants later on to fit my stock.
Feedback is great.

[Diana]

I would upgrade to a 75 gallon.
55 gallon: 4' long, 12" back-to-front (very narrow!), 21" tall.
75 gallon: 4' long, 18" back-to-front (MUCH better for fish, plants and decor), 21" tall.

[Karatepig]

I would upgrade to a 75 gallon.
55 gallon: 4' long, 12" back-to-front (very narrow!), 21" tall.
75 gallon: 4' long, 18" back-to-front (MUCH better for fish, plants and decor), 21" tall.

I have no choice.