Blue Botia

[Jazz_UK]

Hi,

I see a pair (I say a pair but as I do not know how to sex them it could have been two) Blue Botia at a LFS. They were very well coloured and a good size

The owner confirmed their potential size and feeding etc, but I chose not to buy them until I checked them out on the web.

I visited loaches.com and there is a few comments on this fish being agressive and eating smaller fish

Has anyone kept these in a community tank and confirm their compatability with smaller fish (ie harliquins).

Thanks
Jazz

 

[Graeme]

I keep them. Dont know about eating small fish unless they are adult size 10 inches. But i still say they would'nt. Mine are 3 and 5 inches at the moment. I say they dont bother with other fish. My friend keeps his with C.tetra's with no problems. By keeping two is a good idea as they will just pick on each other for to become top of there pecking order. By keeping a single loach they become very shy and fully nocternal. They are normaly aggressive to other Loaches in defending their own little home or hidy hole.


Graeme.

 

[Jazz_UK]

Would they do okay in a tank with a few clown loaches?

 

[Graeme]

They'll make sure the Clowns know who's the boss. They will need their own space. It your tank is large enought and has quite a few hideing places then it should be okay. I can name much more aggressve Loaches than the Botia Modesta.






Graeme.

 

[Starry^]

OH YAY!

I saw some of these in our LFS the other day and I really want one, they were only juvenille and a nice bold blue with orange fins, though they seem to lose their blueness as they get older, which is a bit of a shame cos that is what attracts me to them, I know nothing of their personalitys though.
do you think one or two of those would do okay at the bottom of a spotted freshwater puffer tank?or any other types of loaches? they would hae ample hiding space, and its quite a big tank,maybe a 20gallon,but its a hexagon tank so dosent have a huge surface space.

Starry^

 

[Jazz_UK]

Starry^ - I hope that we do not share the same LFS

Jazz

 

[Starry^]

awww -

well I know nothing is meant to go with puffers if thats what u mean - but the ones Ive seen had some other fish in the tank with them, I thought u could have other fish with puffers as long as they were bought up being used to a community enviroment?
or are u just hassling me about my comment on the blue botias? I know a 20gall isnt very big either.. but i was only guna have like 1 - 2 puffers and then something on the bottom if it was possible..
explain..



Starry^

 

[Graeme]

If you want a small cool loach then try the Botia Striata (Gold Zebra Loach). 3 will be fine in a 20gal. You can get smaller one's like Botia Sidthimunki (Chain loach) but they cost £9 to £12 each!






Graeme.

 

[Pufferpack]

Hi Starry^....I have 2 South American Puffers in a 35 gal tank with 4 swordtails, 2 guppies, and 6 Oto's
(mind you they are still young) and other than chasing the male sword when he gets too curious they are fine together (so far). The Dwarf puffers are a little more territorial than the SA's, but I think as long as the other fish don't squirm around too much (I wouldn't try Khuli's), and are not aggressive they may do Ok. If the Puffers have already taken up residence and you are looking to add more fish, you may have to do a redecorating job in the tank before introducing any more fish, that way there are no established territories for the puffers to defend.

p.s. I think Jazz Uk doesn't want you to buy the botias out from under him ...first come first serve?

 

[Jazz_UK]

Starry^ - Pufferpack is correct, I cannot get to the LFS until the weekend, so I hope that noone gets there before me

Only Joking!

I would phone and reserve them but I want to have another look just to make sure that they are okay before I buy them.

Jazz_UK

 

[Starry^]

LOL, hehe okay, I wondered what u were talking about.. well posibly we could share the same LFS, but we probably dont lol, the shop where we go has had them in more than a few times,I really wanted to get one the first time I saw them as I thought they would be bought very quickly and I wouldnt see them there again, but since then theyve had more - and now I know how big they grow, I dont think Ill be getting one anytime soon.
I really like the gold zebra loaches.. you think they would be oki in a puffer tank then? COOL!



Starry^

 

[Graeme]

PufferPack!!!!!!!

 

[Pufferpack]

I'm not too familure with the Gold Zebra Loaches, I have seen them recomended for community tanks so I would guess they are non-aggressive (A big plus with Dwarf Puffers as they have a tendency to retaliate with a vengence when picked on). I would recomend giving them a try, but have a spare tank cycling in case you have to seperate them (If you don't have a spare tank make sure the lfs will let you exchange the loaches or the puffers if there is a problem)


HTH

Don.

 

[Graeme]

Sorry! PufferPack i had to draw blood form you!

Feeding time is my concern. Loaches oftern see RED! and may draw up conflicts which Puffers will remember.

As Pufferpack say's make sure you dont buy them and cant seperate them if conflicts happen.






Graeme.

 

[Pufferpack]

With my little Dwarfs feeding time is the only time they all seem to get along, as long as there are frozen bloodworms and shrimp in the water peace reigns, once the food is gone they go back to their seperate territories and guard....sounds to me like the Loaches might make dandy tankmates.


...you know me Graeme...any chance to talk about my babies I'll take it