Loaches Online Forum

I want your job Charles...

Some bad news with the viriosus. So far, I have lost the larger two.
They never really came out much and I did not see them feed.
On the other hand, the smaller fish, is out often, started feeding immediately and seems to be doing well. I don't understand this as the larger ones looked very robust and the store had them two weeks before I picked them up.
I guess that is the way it goes sometimes with hillstreams.
Hopefully, I can find more in the future.

Sorry you lost them. Like you said, maybe you will be able to find more.

Thanks!
I didn't lose all of them. I still have the smaller one.

Yeah thats the down side of fishkeeping hope you find more soon

sorry to hear that, Jim. it happens sometimes and there is no way to find out why.
I'm shure you won't give up.

We have two of these in the hillstream tank which we moved to the museum recently. They seem to be doing well and are very lovely fish.

The one survivor is quickly turning into one of my favorite hillstreams.
It is very active and feeds well, being the first out to the food. I have never had a gastro take to prepared foods so quickly.
Its also colored up nicely and is one of the most attractive hillstreams I have.

What kind of prepared foods are you giving them? I've never had any hillies pay even the slightest bit of attention to any food I put in there.

palaeodave wrote:What kind of prepared foods are you giving them? I've never had any hillies pay even the slightest bit of attention to any food I put in there.

Hi Dave,

I have had varying levels of success with different sinking wafers but have recently started using JBL NovoTab which is just great for hillstream loaches. The disks can be stuck to the glass (a favourite for gastros) or on stones (which the Pseudogastromyzon Cheni prefer) the sticky nature means it does not go floating round the tank with the current even if positioned in front of the outflows. Before discovering this food i used Tetra TabiMin secured with some freeze dried brine shrimp, not as effective as the JBL food but appreciated by the loaches.

LES..

I've used NOVO tabs with my Sewellia and they will fend off my minnows and feed from them.

I'll pick some up the next time I'm at a fish shop. They seem to be just fine grazing away in the tank but it would be nice to supplement that a bit.

Mine like just about any algae or bottom feeder wafer I try as well as shrimp pellets. I use Omega One and New Life Spectrum as well as various other brands. Frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp are favorites too. Tetra Delica gel spread on the tank glass or on rocks, is another favorite, but it is no longer available on this side of the pond.

Jim Powers wrote:Tetra Delica gel spread on the tank glass or on rocks, is another favorite, but it is no longer available on this side of the pond.

I tried that after seeing how successful it was in Emma's tank but the hillies ignored it completely and eventually the shrimp ate it all.

Interesting...