Loaches Online Forum

Hi there, I'm new to loaches but not to aquariums.

I will be setting up either a 55 gallon or a 30 gallon in the near future, and I want to see what my loach options are. I really like clown loaches due to their fascinating behaviors and group dynamics, but from what I've read they would soon outgrow the 55g and it would be hard to gauge at what point the tank is stunting them and they begin to release their stunting hormones (please correct me if I could safely house them for longer than a year).

So essentially the clown loach is my blueprint. What other loaches display similar behaviors and are just as fun? I've read extensively on kuhli, dojo, and yoyo loaches (but I'm certainly open to other types of loaches) and I'm aware of their requirements but I want member experiences in relation to their behaviors.

The tank would be heavily planted, sand substrate, and a peaceful to semi-aggressive community. I realize the 30g would be too small for the yoyo and dojo loaches.

Hi, if you want species with behaviours smilar to clowns, You should choose some other Botidae loaches. Especially from genus Botia. It will be helpful when You tell something about dimensions of Your tank.

Hi, thanks for the reply. I'm actually going with the 55 gallon, so the dimensions would be 48inL x 12inD x 21inH. Any indication of which of those loaches would be best? The only one I'm familiar with in that grouping is the yoyo loach.

The tank would look something like this:

55g|Heavily Planted|Sand Substrate
6x sterbai cory
3x dwarf otocilinus
8-10x cardinal tetra OR rummynose tetra
3x dwarf gourami (1 M, 2 F)
*Loaches

PS. the ones that seem readily available (and are peaceful enough) are the boita striata (zebra loach), yoyo loach, angelicus, and dario boita. Are these all as social as each other and do they all stick mostly to the bottom?

Yoyo Loaches can catch and eat fish the size of Neon Tetras. I would go with a smaller Loach, such as the Zebra. I have kept Zebras with a breeding colony of Enders, and the colony of Endlers kept on growing. B. kubotai might work, too, though I have only kept them with similar sized fish.

Yep, i would also reccomend some smaller species, cause Your tank is a little bit narrow for giants like Yoyos. I will consider kubotais or histrionicas - they can give you a lot of fun Zebras, and Queen botias will also suit this tank, but as i observed, those are not as crazy and ubiquitous as other Botias

Personally i will resign from an idea to keep corys and small tetras with Botias. They can be scared by fast and big loaches. Corys will be permanently losing the battle for food. And tetras also don't like fast water flow. Whereas every single botia loves it! Mixing loaches with those species in one tank is a little bit like mixing them with malawi cichlids.

Note also that Dwarf Gouramis are among the most aggressive and territorial of Gouramis. They can be as mean as Betta splendens.
They are not social. They do not care if the fish invading their territory is a female of the same species. They only tolerate females long enough to breed, then she is kicked out. Out of the territory, perhaps out of the tank.
Some males are less pushy, and might tolerate the females if there is a lot of places where the females can get out of site of the males- tall plants are probably best.
You can try keeping 1M + 2F, but have a back up plan ready.

Honey Gouramis are not quite so aggressive, as long as there is a lot of plants at and near the surface for the females to get out of site of the males.
Pearls are generally more peaceful toward their own species, though I have heard one report of more aggressive Pearls. I know they are bigger than the rest of the stocking list, but they are OK with them. They are not for fast moving water, though. (none of the Gouramis do well in fast moving water).

Gee, with corys I'd go small, maybe Y. sidthimunki or B. striatas; both seemed quite mellow when I kept them. I have not kept either B. dario or B. kubotai but either "should" be good in a 55g, by size anyway...Depends on what's available or your preference. Sids, & maybe kubs, have a much more "out-there personality", I think. My striatas were more shy & I'm thinking darios may be too.

Dwarf gouramis are overbred, aggressive & disease prone; I almost never see females any more. I agree with Diana--honeys or pearls would get my vote; 1 M & 2 F or 2 & 3 or 4F.

Botia Kubotia aka angelicus is my recommendation. Striata aka zebra would also be good. Angelicus are very laid back like the zebras but are larger and IMO more beautiful. A school of them makes a fantastic centerpiece.