Boita Compatibility

[snazy]

Yes, mine were sleeping at the front of the tank this morning too. Very cute when they do that.
I just bought myself today an extra loach so I've expanded from 5 to 6. He's huge, about 6" from what I managed to measure the last time, so he's now my biggest one and I am expecting dominance fights, but none yet.   I just hope I didn't get myself a plant eater or a predatory loach  But he was so friendly in the shop when I saw him I could not resist, although I left him there for a week in case I change my mind. He was all by himself and the shop assistant said someone brought him in as he was too big. Anyway, all platies have to go soon to the fish shop I am afraid, at least from this tank. The fry won't stop surviving. I hope this fellow will keep them in check but doesn't eat my guppies and forktail rainbows I want too much sometimes.....

 

[greenmumma141]

My loaches certainly keep my platy fry in check, my bolivians too!  My soft leaved plants always have holes in them! I feed with veggie wafers an algae wafers too, but it doesn't seem to help. They don't seem too interested in cucumbers either.... oh loaches   ......I need to up my numbers a bit too, but the only place thy're available has diff. species mixed in and they don't look very healthy

 

[snazy]

It's really strange. Mine have totally ceased plant eating. One of the amazon swords is actually their hiding place and they often pile up in between the leaves but don't puncture holes in them anymore. Maybe yours are just a bored bunch that has decided to annoy you

 

[greenmumma141]

Hmm, maybe they'll stop after a while. If I went my whole life without seeing real plants, I might eat them too for a while....

 
Maybe when I up their numbers, that will keep them busy. They're such strange fish lol I really like mine a lot hehe

 

[snazy]

Hmm, maybe they'll stop after a while. If I went my whole life without seeing real plants, I might eat them too for a while....
 

 
Yeah, they may do this out of curiousity or even boredom. Loaches are from "intelligent part" of the fish world.

 

[BigFish01]

Ok my polka dot loaches seem to be getting meaner. Im hoping that a couple more when they go in will do them some good. They are even picking on the clown loaches.... no damage though. Starting to wonder if they were a bad choice. Will have seven after I add the two after the qt period. Any thoughts?

On a positive note. Almost two weeks with 6 tiger barbs two polka dot loach and 4 ottos. No casualties. Think im gonna get some more ottos after this. I really like them. Will have 6 after the qt. Have some good algae production so I dont think I can have too many... lol my two dont even make a dent.

I think my loaches are just too rough and either pull the plants up or break them off. The pennywort doesnt have a strong root system and the wisteria just breaks too easy. They dont bother my amazon swords or anything. Need to scrap the whole thing and get a thousand neon tetras.... and ottos.... lol

 

[greenmumma141]

haha, I love my ottos too, and the more you have the better.. I don't hve to tell you about their morning meetings again do i? hehehe......
 
Im surprised you're having problems with 5 loaches! How many clowns do you have? maybe thepolka dots feel threatened, so upping the numbers to 7 would be a good idea.  I told you, when my polka dots were wrestling, it was extremely violent!! omg, it freaked me out lol

 

[BigFish01]

Ah I spoke too soon. One of the loaches died. Somehow got in my filter intake and was lodged in the impeller. No idea how it could of happened. Maybe they watched finding nemo too many times... lol

I have four clown loaches and they hang out in the rocks most of the time. Not sure they would be threatened by them but who knows. The one loach was added to main tank today. Along with 4 ottos. They didnt have any more loaches so I got 6 more ottos. Will put me at 12. They were on sale and I still got 6 bucks back!! Lol. Now to see them for their morning meetings. Will have to come home from lunch for that. I plan on getting 3 more polka dots soon. Hope that will chill them out... lol

 

[BigFish01]

Omg the one had ich... im so pissed at myself right now. Fish trap time
Caught two bolivians. One was smart enough to mosey on out after a good bloodworm dinner. 4 polka dots including the ich one. And two albino tigers... lol. Going for the other two polkadot loaches if I can

 

[BigFish01]

The trap worked wonders. All the polkadots are in qt now. Hope the clowns dont get it!!!! Raising temp to 84 either way on both tanks. Dont see any cysts on the ottos. Hope they dont have it. Will be doing overtime this weekend with water changes in the qt im sure. Should go get a bigger filter. Im so mad
What an idiot. Isnt that the point of the qt?

 

[BigFish01]

So now I have 6 ottos. 6 small tiger barbs. And 6 polka dot loaches in a 20 gal tank. Would that be considered overstocked?? Lol

 

[DreamertK]

6 tiger barbs is already 18 inches.

 

[BigFish01]

Good thing its just a qt tank then! Cuz the loaches are over 30 at full grown

 

[DreamertK]

I'm unsure of how to calculate waste production on loaches. I hear some of them can be as bad as plecos while others can be as small waste producers as a hoard of shrimp.

 

[BigFish01]

Thats a good question. Just wish I had looked closer before I put it in the main tank....