Loach "groups"

[wkjester204]

got a quick question...

it is always recommended to keep loaches in groups of 3-5 or more... my ? is, can you mix species to get to this number?
ie: 1 small (and slow growing.. lol) clown loach,
1 striata loach
2 kubotai loach

does this equal 4?

i know this works for my rainbows, swords, and tetras... as long as they are of the same body "shape" (ie cardinal and albino tetras good together, but buenos aries tetras are different shape)... my understanding it has more to do with shape and size for schooling/shoaling than it does color pattern??

any thoughts are welcome, thanks!

[Gary Stanton]

No. Same species counts. I have fifteen clowns. They are social and it will show in their demeanor. At least five.

[Diana]

With Cories it is color. They will be more inclined to school with others of a similar color.

With Loaches it is same species. While Loaches can strike up a friendship with other species, it really is not the same thing as the social benefits of having several of the same species together.
My Clowns and Yoyos never really interacted when they were in the same tank.

Among many of the small schooling fish like Tetras, Barbs, Rasboras... it is a combination of shape, behavior and color, and each species may respond a little more or a little less to each of these cues. Most of them have a strong drive to stay in a group, and for many it is 'any port in a storm'. They will school with any other fish in the tank that seems at all similar.

[tariesindanrie]

This made me laugh, Diana- a little OT, but not too much...I have 2 brilliant rasboras (for some reason, they are hard to find around here, so I've never had more than this). I first had them in a community tank with many tetras, mostly neons and black neons. The rasboras were a bit more streamlined and faster-swimming by nature, but they would slow down a little to hang out with the black neons. Now I have the 2 rasboras in with some kuhlies, and they have started mimicking the kuhlie behavior, which is a little weird to watch- I guess they just like to fit in

Gary's right though, wkjester204- clowns definitely need other clowns for optimal enjoyment. I can attest to the fact that 5 should be the minimum, as their behavior becomes radically more interesting when that magic number is met or exceeded!

Kate