Just how many hillstreams can fit in a tank?

[mikev]

I think I need a word of advice.

In a couple days I'll have to move new Chenis out of the q-tank..

One possible destination is a 29g tank that currently has 14 suckers (Sewellia's and Beaufortia's). The tank does not appear overcrowded, and has been functioning very well for a while, the amount of interaction between the fish seems to be healthy (occasional territorial disputes, but not a state of warfare). I wonder if the addition of five Chenis to it would be pushing it? What is the real limit?

I do have another 29g tank which is less crowded, but the problem there is the presence of Danio's and Schistura's which would prevent anything interesting from happening..., they both are too food-obsessed.

[Martin Thoene]

To be honest, I think that 14 in a 29 is already pushing the limits. It comes down to the fact that these fish are territorial to an extent and there's little that can be defended in a tank with that population.
I'm sure it's physically possible with sufficient water management, but I don't think it's right.

Martin.

[mikev]

Uggh, I had this feeling, glad I asked...thank you. Will have to be another tank.

I wonder if a general formula is possible....
Just how many square inches does a sucker-type loach need?

(Having a formula like this will make future planning much easier)

[Martin Thoene]

I'm not sure how many because I've forgotten and decor makes it impossible to see them all at one time, but I have around 20 mixed species in my 65 and sometimes I think that looks a bit busy.

Now I have baby cheni growing up in there as well and no doubt more on the way.

As I type there's a male taking turns to slide backwards into the hole he dug with a female. It's a different one to the one in the pictures I posted before. This one has a strong red edged dorsal.

Martin.

[Jim Powers]

Even if everything is going well with 14 fish in a 29, the addition of five chenis would no doubt change the whole thing. There would definately be many more territorial disputes and you would probably end up with some of the more timid fish, wasting away from stress and lack of food. The increase in stess would also increase the likelyhood of disease outbreaks from lowered resistence.
See what happens when you become assimilated!!!
You just have to keep adding tanks.

[mikev]

The confusing thing about the stocking levels is that if it is 14 fishes sitting on the bottom, it is surely overcrowded. If it is 7 on the ground and 7 on the glass -- as seems to be the case most of the time -- it is pretty sparse.


But Ok, so much for this idea. Mentioning a possibility of a disease is a sure way to stop me, I had more than enough of this entertainment. Darn: it would have been so nice to concentrate all potentially breeding fish is fish in one tank, especially that I have three pretty gravid WCMM's there who are sure to supply some encouraging hormones....

It will have to be another tank down the road, indeed no point to break something which works and probably barely. Not a 65, I'm afraid of too many fish I cannot see, but another 29g is happening. Then I'm out of floor space.

There would definitely be many more territorial disputes

It is actually quite peaceful now. After one insane day when I added a few Sewellia, it is down to an encounter (not even a big argument) once every 5-10 minutes, with two fishes, Crossostoma and the largest Beaufortia, responsible for most of the trouble.

As I type there's a male taking turns to slide backwards into the hole he dug with a female. It's a different one to the one in the pictures I posted before. This one has a strong red edged dorsal.

Makes me immensely jealous.

The recent five chenis do finally seem stable, but I have very little red, and they are not digging anything.... As long as they don't come up with some mysterious new disease, I'm already happy.

[mistergreen]

how do these guys do in a community tank?
i haven't seen mine eat anything but algae off the tank once in a while. The other fishes eat everything in a minute.

[mikev]

i haven't seen mine eat anything but algae off the tank once in a while.

I've seen them all actively feeding at one time or another. How often this happens, depends on the species, some will as actively or more than the dither fish. Confuzonas, for example, can compete pretty well with Danios for bloodworms and shrimp. Sewellia's and Cheni's here munch on wafers and I see them eating shrimp and bloodworms once in a while.

Which species do you have?

[mikev]

Hmm.... it probably was a good thing that I did not impose these things on Sewellia's.

They are nuts. First, they hid for ten days, so I could not even see them and wondered if they are all dead or someone survived (there is no place to hide in the tank, incidentally).

Now, at least three are out, and they are chasing everybody. Chasing each other and Gastros I understand. Chasing Confuzonas and Schisturas is strange. But just now I've seen a Cheni trying to jump a Hikari Danio... (?!)

[LES..]

They are nuts.

*grin* Damned fun fish, you were warned that they are active and entertaining. I'm glad you have finally managed to see Cheni acting up to their true nature :-) I hope they give you lots of enjoyment there Mikev.

[mikev]

For now, I'm only hoping they will make it, and I can find a couple more healthy ones. Enjoyment is for later....

(But they are entertaining as hell, indeed.)

I probably need to give them a tankmate they cannot handle so easily. Confuzonas, Schisturas, Gastros -- they all run away, no resistance.