Lets have YOUR opinions: THE BEST loaches for...

[shazam26]

Moi??
I'm heading down to Chicago soon, and am planning on purchasing a licence so I can transport them back to Canada. Obviously, I'm going to have great access to a bigger variety (and a MUCH healthier, better cared for variety) of loaches.
I have already ruled out clowns (though I think they're marvellous) because I'm still a university student, and although not on the desperate for money side, I am on the moving-and-can't-get-a-125-gallon-tank-anytime-soon side (that's quite a long side.) ANYway... there are so many fantastic loaches out there to pick from that my head is spinning with the options.
Keep in mind, I am a newbie with loaches, and although I have all the resources I have on here, I want to make sure beforehand that these fish would survive a trip back from Chicago, and aren't EXTREMELY, direly sensitive. I don't mind paying money on packaging them safely, but I'd still rather a reasonably hardy fish to settle my never-ending paranoia. I've got a 20 gallon established currently that holds my red fin and kuhli's. My weather loaches are happily residing in a friends tank with Pictus catfish until I myself can upgrade into bigger and better things (which will be happening this Christmas! Apparently Santa has been keeping an eye on the 46 G I've been drooling over!)
Anyway, I'm hoping to do some good with my summer work money, and find myself some lovely loaches that us Newfs don't get to have too often.
I'm looking for an active and entertaining loach (shouldn't be too hard) And I'm planning on a medium sized tank (about 30-55?) so obviously I'm looking for a smaller sized loach, so I can get it a couple pals.
If there's a few loaches that sound good for moi, let me know, lets have some links. If there's a loach I should definitely go for should I be able to get one, I'd be willing to up the tank size if I get some convincing arguments. Either way, I'm planning on coming back across the border with some new buddies- and quite an empty wallet, by the looks of things. But oh well, let the suggestions roll!

[angelfish83]

Chicaco is for cichlids. if you rearrange the first four letters from chic to cich you have half of cichlid- plus the fact that Chicago is the Mecca for variety of selection for Cichlids in the US..

[shazam26]

Hmmm, you're certainly right! I've always been curious about cichlids, but something keeps me distant from them, which is something I'm often warned. I'm hoping there's something else I can be told about them!
I've always heard that so many cichlids can be unfriendly roomates. REAAAL unfriendly! It's always scared me off from them- I don't know much about them, but every time I ask, I almost always first get the response than they're 'mean' or 'vicious'. Being a loach fan, I'd be a bit scared having an apparent 'big, mean' fish in with a troop of dancing loaches.
PLEASE prove me wrong. I know almost nothing about cichlids. And if I could, ideally, I'd have some interestingly colored cichlids with some loaches on the smaller size. I'd need the cichlids to be on the smaller side, too. Not puny, they would be my centerpiece fish. Just not big enough to nibble on any medium loaches. If I don't have clown space, I certainly don't have oscar space.
If you have any great cichlid suggestions that would do well with loaches, I'd love to see some links (maybe a post or something on cichlids in the frshwater forum, if it's not too much to ask?) Then again, I suppose it depends on the loaches that strike my fancy!

[helen nightingale]

definately dont get cichlids with loaches! they can be very mean, and mostly they require different water conditions. Africans generally need a lot harder water than the laoches, and some can get huge, and the personalites in general dont go. some American cichlids generally can take the softer water the loaches need, but genenerally need much less water movement. there are 3 Asian cichlids, but 2 of these are brackish water fish. so cichlids and loaches really isnt a good option for the welfare of the fish, even though they may look OK.

striata are very nice loaches, and they dont get too big, and Sidthimunki are ever so cute and stay small too - but they can be expensive as they are endangered in the wild. the yoyos/kubotai/rostrata/histrionica get a bit bigger and seem to be a bit variable in temperament - some can be a bit grumpy, others seem fine. they can be harder to tell apart when young - i have a fish i bought as a yoyo, and now could be a rostrata or a kubotai - i will have to wait and see. the sids and the striata are quite easy to tell when they are small, so even if you buy them from an idiot, you can know what you are buying

http://www.loaches.com/articles/an-intr ... ping-botia

have a read of Emma's excellent article - there are species details nearer the end.

i hope santa brings you what you want, and have a good fish shoping trip

[mikev]

Striatas, Kubotais, Zippers.

[shari2]

Just FYI...
angelfish are cichlids. and they like soft, warm water. But not alot of current, or at least a nice open area that is relatively undisturbed. (although my pair is doing fine in more current than I usually keep them in...

[shazam26]

Thanks for the input everyone! So definitely NO cichlids with loaches.
I think if I were to get a tank buddy for my botia expedition, I'd choose to get a ropefish to put in a tank with it, and maybe some gouramis, another shark. I'd need about a 55 though.
But anyway, Sids were on my mind ^_^ They're very adorable looking and seem to be quite hardy and peaceful. Striata's are gorgeous as well, and I agree with the fact that they should be more commercialized than the clown loach. Perhaps then people would start purchasing fish better suited to the aquariums they own.
Kubotais! I was looking at these guys just the other day! Undemanding is a good word I take very good care of my fish, but I'm a fairly paranoid pet owner, I'll admit. Knowing a fish is overly sensitive puts me on edge a little. I like knowing I can go out without worrying if small changes will result in a death And what lovely patterns these guys have!
As for Zippers, they are absolutely precious. I hear they have loads of personality, and are also not too strenuous to keep happy. ^_^
I'm glad that the fish I was doing some research on turned up in the suggestions here, it shows me that I'm preparing for realistic choices.

Shari- yes, I was surprised to find out Angelfish were cichlids there a while ago- seeing they don't have this vicious mean streak I keep hearing about cichlids. They seem like fairly sensitive fish. Though I do believe that if I were to have them, with loaches wouldn't be an ideal place- though I've seen this mix quite a number of times!

They've got more Kuhli loaches in (FINALLY X_X) I'm sure my poor Kuhli has had enough of being on its own, though it's very active and is consistently out and about, eating whatever it can find. It shares a cave with my Rainbow shark, who is fiercely protective of it. I've heard of Rainbow sharks displaying this kind of behaviour though- they can quite often have an aggressive side, but they can also bear a strange inclination to protect smaller fish. I've seen a few cases of Rainbow sharks protecting the fry of other species in their caves. My friend had one rainbow who herded the fry of a deceased fish into a cave (for a snack, she figured) but turned out to chase away any fish that came near the cave, and kept it guarded. That seems outlandishly bizarre to me, seeing so often they'll also dine on the fry of other fish- but oh well. It is how it is I suppose. I'll never get inside a rainbow sharks head Hopefully he'll take to the black kuhli's as well as he has my solo kuhli, Jasper.

[peacefulfishie]

I vote for the striata. Adorable, hardy and entertaining.

[newshound]

living in the north sometimes you take what you can get
I really love kubs
verry up front and lively
sids are good too
there seems to be an alot of histie/rostata's on the market right now.
best of luck loach hunting
I can relate.

[shazam26]

Ok all, I got very, very, VERY lucky today!
I discovered an independantly owned freshwater/tropical fish shop a couple hours away from me HERE in Newfoundland... they sell a large variety of loaches! ^_^ They've got what I'm looking for at least: sids, kubotais, striatas, etc... I'm going out there in January. So, maybe I won't have to do some cross country travelling for some new tank buddies after all!

[Martin Thoene]

Oh wow! Sweet find. I'm sure that sort of thing isn't thick on the ground on The Rock. You've been there, or just found out about it?

Martin.

[shazam26]

I haven't been there yet. ^_^
I'm keeping my fingers crossed, because it IS insanely rare for this island.
I'm going soon to give it a good look over.
And if there's nothing to be impressed about in terms of care, looks like I am going elsewhere for the fishies. Here's hoping!