Loaches Online Forum

Marcos Mataratzis wrote:My goal is having a monospecie tank for (who knows) trying breading. So, I would take out other non Clown loaches rather than adding new ones.

consider some livebearers or smaller breeding fish to get some hormones in the water. the only time I've seen my large clowns interested in each other was with guppies in the tank.

also, the new tank setup looks great and you're stripeless clown is adorable! i got a new clown two weeks ago whos center stripe only goes about 1/4 of the way down on either side of his body; they look quite similar

Thanks for the look ahead PASoracco. I´ll think on that in the future.

Your tank is stunning Marcos! It's basically the same setup as I'm planning, minus the discus. Just not sure if I want Botia Kubotai or Botia Striata yet. After seeing your tank I definately lean towards Striata, but I change my mind everyday! How's the redtail with the loaches? Any fighting between them? We had a redtail until a couple of days ago when we decided to get rid of him. He stressed out our balas, forcing them to swim in the right side of the tank so he could have the left to himself. The tank is much calmer without him, and we traded him in for an ancistrus to go in our small tank.

Hi Jonas,

Red tailed sharks are very territorial and will fight any fish similar to them - meaning body shape. That´s why they hate SAE or Bala sharks. No isues with Clown loaches. I have had about 4 or 5 Red tailed sharks for last 20 years in every loach tank I had.

About Discus and other loaches, I made some changes here recently and divided fishes on my two tanks. Fauna now is:

200 liter tank:
5 morleti
5 striata
3 sidthimunki
4 Discus
9 cardinal Neon
1 CAE
1 SAE

450 liter:
29 Clown
5 YoYo
1 kubotai
1 modesta
1 Red tailed shark
2 CAE

Some fresh shots taken this morning (sorry... lights off)

21 loaches:


12 loaches:


#3 (former #2) and Mr. Big Botia (right):


Funny kubotai:


Cheers!

Marcos, what are the black tubes in your aquarium?

They are Polietilene pipes, used as "caves" for my Clowns. They love to stay and rest into them.

A few more shots taken today:

21 loaches:


20 loaches:


15 loaches:


Here, just for size compare, my adult red tailed shark and my #4 Clown loach:

hi folks!

some fresh news here. first my new portrait recently painted by my friend Rosana, same that painted my other Botia picture:


Also, we got a second cat here. Meet Sheldon:




Does anybody think I´ll have some troble with him and tanks when he gets older?

I love the painting! Very, very nice!

Amazing tank, and amazing painting to go with it!

Nice kitten, too.

New portrait is here:



Moved former one to smaller tank:


Now, a few shots taken today:

Botia sidthimunki:


Botias sidhimunki and striata:


Botia sidthimunki and RedMalboro:


Pigeon:




Blue female:


Recently formed couple:




Funny loach and CAE:


Mr. Big Botia:


11 Botias:


19 Botias:

I love the pic you post Marcos! Your fish are stunning! Keep em coming.

btw marco, what is the easiest and the safest way to cure botia's ich?
tq before

High temperature, lots of water change and malachite green are my best bets.

Read this:

Dealing with Ich

Good afternoon Marcos,

Please can you tell me what/how you feed your Discus in the loach tank?

Ive got 4 Discus in with loaches and they are slowly getting slimmer... Im considering putting them in a tank on their own - however I wondered if you have any tricks?

Stonecoloured