Botia striata questions AKA zebra

[billingsz89]

I do really want to do Otos and despite my desire to get them asap I will wait because I don't want to starve them(their algea eating abilities are an added bonus not the reason I want them).

Thanks for all the advice on food it is very appreciated and gives me a good idea on what to try. I know some fish don't prefer some brands. My Betta would take Omega one Betta pellets but not tetra.

Loachloach I wanted to answer your question about the danios. So when it comes to fish I prefer bottom dwellers over middle to top fish. I have read that loaches like "dither fish" so they are out and swim more. So I looked and places said danios among others are great dither fish. That being said I was always planning to put guppies into the tank with the loaches till I read that A guppies don't like soft water and B the two loaches I was considering both can be nippy. So since that won't work I just set off in search for another fish. I spent hours searching since all live-bearers were off the table I was limited on what I could put in there. I don't like fish that get really tall as much as the more minnow type of fish(for schooling fish). People always say get rasboras (not just here lol) but harlequin rasbora are not attractive to me and other than espi rasboras I don't think my fish store carries any other kind except the nano ones. The nano rasboras like the chili rasboras I do like but won't work in this tank(I don't think). So I brushed over rasboras and moved on to danios. I saw zebra danios and like the longer body and the blue stripes. I am far from married to getting zebra danios I just want a school of fish I like to sit and watch if the loaches are hiding. The one thing I don't want to do is a get a fish I don't really enjoy looking at.

Suggestions for other fish are welcome. To help give you an idea of why I wanted guppies is I like how I could get a group of fish that don't all look the same. I like how I could get 10 guppies and every fish could be different colored and different patterns kind of like bettas. I'm not sure there is another fish that likes soft water and is anything like guppies. My main motivation for this tank was the loaches and the Otos but I aslo wanted fish for the rest of the tank. I also want relatively simple fish since loaches are my main focus.

Lastly my tank is cycled already via fishless cycle I'm adding ammonia daily ~3ppm and I have only nitrates 12-15 hours later.

[billingsz89]

So I have been doing more research and was wondering if the smaller rasboras that only get up to 1 inch or 2-3cm would be ok with the dwarf chain loaches? I do like some species like the crossbanded rasboras, espi rasboras, the Galaxy rasboras, and the mosquito rasboras.

[Bas Pels]

I have Sundanios combined with Y sidheymunkey. For 2 years now. Mostly they ignore each other

[NancyD]

I had both loaches with rasboras borapetensis (red tailed or black line rasboras) & T. espei (lambchop? rasboras). The borapetensis are torpedo shaped & very hardy. IME. Espei are not quite as high bodied as harlequins & more of a copper color, nice too.

[billingsz89]

I like the T. espei rasboras and I think that is what I will get but I do prefer blueish fish. I like the zebra danios and cardinal tetras. What do you think about cardinal tetras for this tank?

[NancyD]

It could work cardinals & sids. Might be pretty too...the problem I see is if there are adult sids & smaller cardinals. Sidthimunki are not aggressive except for much smaller fish...so grow up the tetras; as adults they're similar in size to sids. & then add the otos much later.

I'm not sure of the stocking order I'd advise...they're all kind of sensitive to water & tank conditions. My best guess is cardinals for a month or 2 in a fully cycled tank; then sids & otos last. Each species in an entire grouping of 6 - 8...if you're stuck on all 3 species & you don't have a quarantine tank... & it sounds like you don't..do the best you can & test your water daily or every other day. Change lots of water often!! & more often if there are any problems.