Clown/yoyo Ph/gh Help

[BaylorPerez]

If i was to start getting a small shoal of clown or yoyo loaches, what should i make my Ph and Gh for the tank(putting them in with Cories and Banded Rainbowfish). As every where i look it says as long as the Ph doesnt get to 8, and the Gh would need to be 83Ppm(wiki link said that i dont excatly think thats correct). As for the Clown/yoyo loaches i am doing them in case of another Snail Outbreak within my new tank. And to help out with keeping my cories not to lonely as they seem to not be caring about the other cories in their shoal(6 so far)

 

[BaylorPerez]

If i was to start getting a small shoal of clown or yoyo loaches, what should i make my Ph and Gh for the tank(putting them in with Cories and Banded Rainbowfish). As every where i look it says as long as the Ph doesnt get to 8, and the Gh would need to be 83Ppm(wiki link said that i dont excatly think thats correct). As for the Clown/yoyo loaches i am doing them in case of another Snail Outbreak within my new tank. And to help out with keeping my cories not to lonely as they seem to not be caring about the other cories in their shoal(6 so far)

Also, my Ph is a stable 7.6, and my Gh is a stable 4.0
With the additions of Malayasian driftwood, my Gh may shrink due to its effect of adding a 'tint' that can help lower Gh. As for the Clown loach for a 55Gal, would this be a good addition to add with Banded RainbowFish, Cories and some harlequinns?
or should i seek out another method to get rid of snails once they happen to get into my tank. (No Assassin snails please)

 

[Byron]

First off, please forget clown loaches (Chromobotia macracanthus).  They must have a group (all loaches are highly social fish and this is critical to their health) and this species gets very large, between 8 and 12 inches is normal in an aquarium, but it has been reported to reach 16 inches.  It requires at least a 6-foot tank.
 
In a 4-foot 55g, the YoYo Loach (Botia almorhae) is a better choice, and a group of at least five, but six or seven would be better, will work.  This species is generally peaceful, but all loaches are "playful" to varying degrees [observing the so-called "loach dance" is fascinating] and many can fin nip upper fish, especially long-finned species; rainbowfish (the larger species you have been considering in the other thread) should be active enough to be safe, but I can't guarantee it.
 
Another loach that is perhaps the most docile of all of them, though still a playful fish, is Botia kubotai.  It also reaches around 5-6 inches (like the YoYo) and obviously needs a similarly-sized group.  I have not observed any problems from my shoal that I have had for 4+ years now.  Any of these Botia species will be fine in your soft water.
 
These will eat snails, to some degree, but here again I am puzzled why you would consider snails an issue?  They are extremely useful inhabitants of a fish tank.  I have hundreds in my tanks, and while they are fewer in the two tanks with loaches, they still manage to hang on fortunately.
 
A word of caution with corys...I personally would not combine corys with loaches.  Loaches are territorial, some very much so, and other fish bumbling their way into the loaches' space may not be welcomed.  I'm sure some will say they have these together, but it is something I would never consider.  And corys and loaches are not going to "chum together," so to speak, as the corys and loaches will need to do with their own species.  There are very few species that mix together in a way that approaches the interaction within a group of the species; this is an inherent need of the particular species.
 
As you can see from the above, when one begins considering this or that fish to deal with an issue, it is possible to introduce even more issues that may have consequences.  Adding fish is never the way to solve an issue, unless the fish will fit into that particular environment and be a contributing part of the whole.
 
Byron.

 

[fluttermoth]

I agree with Byron; having kept both loaches and cories for many years, I would never keep them together. Loaches are generally too boisterous for the cories, who don't speak the same 'language' as the very hierarchical loaches.

Keep in mind that freshwater fish, even shoaling ones, don't school tightly like marine fish do. They school only if they feel threatened; when they're comfortable, they just form a loose group, but they know the other fish are nearby.

You'd be far better off getting more cories than trying to add loaches to the mix.

 

[ShinySideUp]

Perhaps through naive ignorance many years ago I started a tank with both Clown Loaches and Peppered Cory's, however, perhaps because of the size and/or layout of my aquarium I have had no problems with Cory's being 'got at' by my loaches. I have an FX5 filter, a Koralia power head and a U4 internal filter all firing their output in the same direction which is good for the loaches and for the five SAE's I have. My school of 50+ Rummy-nosed tetra's also love the flow.
 
At the bottom of the tank, underneath the flow-creators is a still area in which the Cory's spend most of their time unmolested and quite content; they share this area with aboout ten Khuli loaches. So, it can be done if there is plenty of room.
 
As for the OP's remark regarding snails: I too don't like them in my tank as they get everywhere, even living in the filter (actually, ONLY living in the filter now as if they set foot outside the Clown's have them).
 
In my tank from years gone by I have five Zebra loaches. They grow to four inches max and behave almost exactly like Clown's but without the size; they also eat small snails and are the ideal smaller-space snail-eaters (snails have to be small though). You need at least five, probably more if you can.

 

[NickAu]

I agree with Byron and fluttermouth you need  a 100 gallon 6 foot tank minimum for Clown loaches,  these suckers grow big. I will be honest with you now Baylor, Clown Loaches are not for you they have specific requirements and if you do not meet them they will get sick, Clown Loaches get Ich at the drop of a hat.
 
These are my babies they are so tame they take food from my hand. I was doing a water change, I use Easy-Life Fluid Filter Media thats why the water is cloudy.
 
They are begging for food.
https/www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE6p9KqzmVM

 

[BaylorPerez]

i currently have a 48 x12 x 18 size 55Gal tank, im thinking of swapping over to a 48 x 12 x 36 55Gal tank which will allow more space for my driftwood and plants to be placed. But i will take a look at the other species of loaches. I like to vary my species as im heading towards rainbowfish, with harlequins and cories. Depending on a fish species that can eat snails. I heard loaches are good at these but i know their are others that i cannot seem to find on the web, as they all appear to be loaches......

 

[ShinySideUp]

They can't have the same volume, one of the measurements is different. Which is the depth (height) and which is the width (front to back)?

 

[BaylorPerez]

well its a custom 55Gal i am considering as to the x36 which helps me find more room for me to put my decor/plants in the tank