Dojo loach behavior change

[Crayonbird]

Thanks in advance for any insights.

I've got a 50g tank with 1 loach (about 7"), 2 guppies, 2 goldfish (6" and 3"), and 1 pleco (small), and 1 Betta. They've been together for a few years without incident (I've lost a few guppies but I don't know if they died or were eaten). Water values are all normal.

About a week ago, the loach started harassing the goldfish...one of which is about as long as him (obviously bigger around). He's not bothering with the smaller fish at all. He's bumping against their sides and mouthing them. No damage is being done but the goldfish seem annoyed.

I get he may be lonely, but why the sudden onset? Sexual maturity? Does he need a girlfriend? (I actually dont know if its a male or not) Should I look into getting him a friend?

 

[fluttermoth]

Pretty much all loach are social, and form complex hierarchies, so you need at least five more, tbh.

I would also really think about changing your stocking a bit, if I were you. A lot of your fish need rather different conditions, and it won't be good for their long term health and welfare to keep them in sub optimal conditions.

The betta needs much warmer water than is good for the goldies and the loach; the plec, depending on what species it is, might also need a higher temperature.

The guppies and betta shouldn't really be kept together. They occupy the same ecological niche, in their own environments, and if you put them together, they will come into conflict, even if you're not seeing signs of it.

I would worry about the guppies being eaten by the goldfish. It's not only concern for the guppies here; it's also that fish will sometimes try and eat a fish that is too big for them to swallow. This can lead to the smaller fish getting stuck in the mouth or throat of the bigger one, and you can often lose both fish if that happens.

Could you post the actual numbers from all your tests, please? What temperature are you running the tank at?

 

[SeanTrollope]

hi and welcome

as fluttermoth has said you seriously have a stocking issue. these fish cannot work together as each has a specific set of requirements and you might be able to satisfy the one but then the rest will be at a loss. now i know that this setup has been going for a while and there have been minimal problems but the truth is that non of your fish will be happy and at some point sooner or later it is going to go down the drain. and this small occurrence might just be the beginning of it all. we are not trying to be nasty but we want to ensure the well-being of your fish and so do you.


we are also going to need the actual readings of your tests.