Anything About Loaches?

[Man of fish]

Saw loaches at my local pet store and wanted to know what they're requirements are.

 

[SharkWeek]

Saw loaches at my local pet store and wanted to know what they're requirements are.

what kind of loaches

 

[Man of fish]

They had some khulii loaches some Pakistani loaches some clown loaches and some gold dojo loaches.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Very basic (off to work in few mins)...

Kuhlis do much better in big groups of 10+, far more likely to see them out and about. Anything from a 45cm long tank will be fine (but bigger tanks give us longer to realise things are going bad, the greater volume of water gives more stability).

Pakistanis need 4-foot long tanks, quite social, so 5+ group ideally.

Clown Loaches reach upto ~30cm, are very social, do much better in big groups to form complex hierachy (at least 6, but more the better). Need 6-foot tank. Prone to ich, very sensitive to water quality changes.

Dojo/Weather Loaches are sub-tropical, best kept at 18-22C, very social and do well in big groups (at least 6). Should reach close to 30cm, despite their inactivity burrowing in soft sand during the day in shady areas, they are very active at night and can be found doing laps of the tank midwater.

 

[Man of fish]

Ok well my tank is 3 1/2 feet long could I get some pakistanis? They seemed to be my favorite there I was looking at maybe 3 or 4 of them would that work?

When I did some research 3 or 4 of the 5 sources said they needed at least a 20-29 gallon.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Yoyo/Pakistani Loaches (Botia almorhae) need a longer tank than a 3.5 foot long tank long term, they are pretty active fish and they should reach ~15cm. Like I said, they are pretty social but it is possible for bullying to happen within a group, which is why at least five are recommended in a densely furnished tank (to spread any aggression better). Like most of the Botia genus, they also enjoy a brisk current, but unusually they are more of a temperate species so a winter cooling period of 20-22C needs to be balanced out against a summer hot spell of 24-27C.

 

[micko]

Pakistani loach are amazing.
N0body Of The Goat has given you more information that what I could have in regards to different loaches so I cannot add anymore to it.

 

[Man of fish]

I just did a little more research it said groups of 4 or more 20 gallons or more and same about temp. And they usually only grow 4 inches in the aquarium but can get up to 6 in.

 

[Man of fish]

Is this right or semi-right? They also had skunk loaches but these seem to have even more requirements. So I've crossed off clown and dojo. Khulii sounds kind of like a bad idea. Skunk sounds a little hard to deal with. Pakistanis are my favorites and the research I did says I can have them. Why not?

 

[micko]

Well I think the 20G refers to just them and that's it. Plenty of rock/wood work, caves and hiding places. Sand as substrate as they like to throw it all about.
I think your better with a much larger tank if your talking about keeping them in larger numbers which I would suggest to do.

 

[Man of fish]

Would a 55 work? I found a really nice combo setup on craigslist it's cycled and everything a 55 gallon and a 25 gallon with everything and extra equipment all cycled with 4 fish 2 from each tank. Would the 55 work?

 

[Man of fish]

Also what size of a group would you suggest for pakistanis in a 55 gallon like 6?

 

[onidrase]

55 gallon is perfect, and 6 is a good number, you could possibly even go up from there, but I'd be sure to not have any other bottom feeders.

 

[Man of fish]

could i put any other species of loach in with them if I decided I wanted say khuliis or something.