Loaches Online Forum

I know these may be a dumb questions...but I noticed almost all the loaches have those feelers around their mouths...(no I don't know correct names of anything, I'm totally new to fish)
I was wondering are loaches solely bottom feeders?
Are loaches related to catfish?
Is my Pleco a sort of Loach?

(I just had to start a new thread...I've been watching my other one all day and just not getting anyone talking...and I'm a talker...lol)

Hi AlexisLeann,

Don't worry, we all had to start somewhere! And this site is a great place for you to have found to start.

The feelers you refer to are called barbels and they are delicate sensory organs which help the fish to locate food. For this reason, it is best to maintain your loaches on a substrate of aquatic sand or fine smooth gravel, avoiding anything rough. They do live and feed mainly in the lower region of the tank, but many species are not averse to venturing a little higher, especially when food is involved.

Loaches are part of the Order known as Cypriniformes (carps). This is further divided into Families, and loaches are then classed as Cobitidae or Balitoridae, depending on which type of fish they are. Catfish such as your pleco are placed in the Order Siluriformes, under the family Loricariidae (which is why you often refer to the more exotic members of the pleco family as 'L-numbers').

Hope this helps,

Emma

well i finally got someone to talk to...could you also anser my other post and tell me what fish have to go and what should stay or what i should get...mind you I only have a 55 gal...I'd just like easy to care for, happy fish, who don't just hide. I love my pleco's color and pattern but he's getting huge and just hangs upsidedown mostly all the time under a cave...when he is out and I go to look he darts for cover.

We all love to talk here, especially where loaches are concerned! I've posted a reply to your other post, so if you provide us with a few more details about the tank, I'm sure I won't be the only one to give you a few ideas for what you might like to add to the tank.

Emma