Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

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Katy
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:43 am
Location: Vermont, USA

Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by Katy » Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:42 pm

We have a lone Rostrata that was mis-identified as a Kub as a juvenile. It has now outgrown (slightly) the largest Kub. It schools with the Kubs (and striata) but wisdom on this site is that they need a school of their own. Our tank is only 120 US gallons, so if it needs a school of more rostrata, I think we would do best to rehome it. So beautiful though!

Thoughts?

(ps -- I hate Face Book, so sad that so many of the most experienced members of this group hav moved over there!)

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redshark1
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Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, Great Britain.

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by redshark1 » Fri Jan 22, 2021 3:38 am

Sorry, I was busy on Facebook!

But seriously, I don't know about those species because I never kept them.

However, you will have a gut reaction about what you want to do.

If I were in your position I would probably think that since it is not my fault that I have one of another species and it is happy in my tank I would not wish to disrupt things when they are working.

There's a time when you have to act. Is this one of those times?
6 x Clown Loaches all 30 years of age on 01.01.2024, largest 11.5", 2 large females, 4 smaller males, aquarium 6' x 18" x 18" 400 ltr/90 uk gal/110 US gal. approx.

Katy
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:43 am
Location: Vermont, USA

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by Katy » Fri Jan 22, 2021 6:44 pm

Well, as far as we can tell it is happy? But how can you really tell with fish :) It is schooling with the others (aka begging for food with any sign of human movement!)

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redshark1
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Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, Great Britain.

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by redshark1 » Sat Jan 23, 2021 7:32 am

Yes it's probably safest not to use the adjective "happy" to describe our fish because it's something we can't measure.

About the lone rostrata, I'd rather say that I (rather than the fish) was or was not happy with the situation, perhaps on balance with points for and against. As aquarists we have to make these decisions from time to time and live with them.
6 x Clown Loaches all 30 years of age on 01.01.2024, largest 11.5", 2 large females, 4 smaller males, aquarium 6' x 18" x 18" 400 ltr/90 uk gal/110 US gal. approx.

Katy
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:43 am
Location: Vermont, USA

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by Katy » Sun Jan 24, 2021 8:23 am

I am glad you are still here!

The Rostrata is a hoot -- really gives us THE LOOK when we are sitting on the sofa when we "should be" feeding it! It certainly seems to be thriving in the tank, and doesn't seem to be a bully, either. And at a lovely 8o F and windy out, we won't be thinking of rehoming any time soon, as we don't know of any other local loach keepers. Still, will always wonder a bit about it.

I do wish Emma were still around -- seems she would know Rostrata behavior well!

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redshark1
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Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, Great Britain.

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by redshark1 » Mon Jan 25, 2021 2:39 am

Yes I hope Emma will return one day and update us. She (and others here) did so much for Clown Loaches and their keepers at a time when information was chiefly absent and much of the available information was incorrect. It must have been tough being a pioneer with access to information that was contrary to the norm but she used her communication skills well. Those of us that listened have benefitted and spread the information and arguments widely. Yet there is so much more to be done.
6 x Clown Loaches all 30 years of age on 01.01.2024, largest 11.5", 2 large females, 4 smaller males, aquarium 6' x 18" x 18" 400 ltr/90 uk gal/110 US gal. approx.

Katy
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:43 am
Location: Vermont, USA

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by Katy » Tue Jan 26, 2021 5:29 am

And those photos of her Clowns!

Again, I am glad you and Nancy are still here!

NancyD
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Location: SF bay area,US

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by NancyD » Tue Jan 26, 2021 7:47 pm

Hey Katy, nice you remember me. I'm not much of a facebooker but do it sometimes.

I think if the rostrata continues to behave itself there's no reason not to keep it. I have only kept striatas out of you loach bunch. Are they shy with the kubotais? They were more shy than the sids I kept with them before. Those 2 species are on my short list for a 110g 5ft tank...when I can shop for them someday.

The last few years I've noticed lfs tanks mixed with small yoyos, kubs, rostrata & maybe histrionica too. I'm not sure I can ID them well enough.
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Katy
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Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by Katy » Wed Jan 27, 2021 6:16 am

Hi Nancy!

I laughed when you mentioned shy Striata and Sids! Our Sids are the least shy of any of our loaches, and they school right along with the Striata and Kubs and Rostrata. And when there are any people around, they are all shameless beggars! Once upon a time we had a Vaillantella massi in the tank, but ye haven't seen it in years. We often wonder if it is still hiding in there somewhere. THAT is a shy loach!

The Rostrata did come in a group of young Kubs, and it took a while before we said "one of these things is not like the others" but we still couldn't tell if it was a Histrionica, Kub or Rostrata until it was quite a bit bigger. Then (a variety of personal disasters that almost had us rehoming all our fish) I was off the board for a long time, and it didn't get to be bigger than our largest Kub until really fairly recently.

You downsized your tanks when you moved out west, right? What loaches do you have now?

NancyD
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Location: SF bay area,US

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by NancyD » Sat Jan 30, 2021 1:21 pm

I only have sewellia lineolata these days, no botias (sniff). They have a couple fry survive each year. I did have pretty Traccatichthys taeniatus (peppermint loaches) in a different tank but they died out. I'll probably never see them again.

I finally set up my 110g last year, well my plant club did, lol. I was going to let the plants get firmly rooted before getting loaches of some kind(s)...& then the virus hit...I may end up doing mail order but I prefer to pick my fish.
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Katy
Posts: 280
Joined: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:43 am
Location: Vermont, USA

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by Katy » Sat Jan 30, 2021 2:29 pm

We call our LFS "The Ich Store" so even if we could justify going in there during COVID, we won't. We have had pretty good luck with WetSpot, but I sure wish we could pick out Striata. Have gotten a few with CRAZY stripes :)

I want to see your planted tank. Do you have photos? Are you on the Planted Tank forums also?

NancyD
Posts: 1608
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 9:17 pm
Location: SF bay area,US

Re: Lone Rostrata in with Kubs

Post by NancyD » Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:48 pm

Sorry no pics, wrong hobby. But you're not missing much, each tank has different algae, 2 have tons duck weed, jungle val & java moss. I set the low bar for my plant club, lol.

I got my T. taeniatus from the Wet Spot on a driving vacation packed like for shipping :). They don't seem to have all the fish I want at any 1 time but I may do it anyway...Crazy stripes would not be my first choice...but I have seen some I like ok. At least you can tell them apart.
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