Can I add 2 more?

[Hamsnacks]

Hello,

Current setup is as follows.

120 Gallon Tank, 6 Feet Long. MarineLand 530 Filter and a Rena/API XP3 Filter.

Livestock:

2 x Bala Shark
2 x Rainbow Shark
2 x Ropefish
6 x Tiger Barb
1 x Angel Fish
1 x White Crayfish (Extremely friendly, I got lucky, have pictures of him standing directly on top of a Ropefish and no issues at all)
10 x Zebra Nitrate Snail

At this point every fish is very good together, no nipping or chasing around. Everyone is eating properly. I am very happy with my t

I was wondering if you guys think I could add an extra 2 Clown Loaches, I was initially interested in the Banded Leporinus but I kept reading about their aggressiveness and they eat plants, I have a few live plants in the tank. So do you think the Loaches would be fine (I read enough experiences from others that stated 2 were happy together) or do you think I would be overstocked in the future.

Thanks!

 

[NickAu]

1 x White Crayfish

This WILL end in disaster, the cray will eat your fish, or the fish will eat the cray. Fins and claws do not mix.

 

[Essjay]

I would not add 2 clown loaches because they are shoaling fish that need to be in a group of at least 6. Your tank is the minimum size for clown loaches, but a bigger tank would be better for them.

Bala sharks also need to be in a larger group - and a tank at least 8 feet long and 2 feet wide.

 

[cynic]

It always makes me wonder, i have a RTBS, a plec 16 harlequin tetra and some shrimp in a 5ft tank and i think that is near its limit.

Funny old world.

 

[Byron]

Hamsnacks, welcome to TFF.

I am going to try and explain a few things here, since you are a new member and I have no idea of your level of knowledge or if you have read certain other threads since joining TFF. I provide this information so often...but it needs to be said.

First, to your question, no, you do not have room for two clown loaches. As essjay said, they are shoaling species and must have a group, five is about minimum, but growing between 8 and 12 inches means an 8-foot length tank.

I also agree with essjay on the Bala Sharks, the species is Balantiocheilos melanopterus. This shoaling fish should have no fewer than 8 individuals, and again an 8-foot tank is minimum since it will attain 14 inches in aquaria--assuming it is healthy and develops properly.

Which brings me to explaining shoaling fish. These species--and all characins (tetras, hatchetfish and pencilfish), all cyprinids (barbs, rasbora, danios, loaches, and so-called sharks), rainbowfish, and many species of catfish are shoaling--must be in a group. Minimum numbers are often mentioned but this is only to ensure a hopefully decent sized group; more is always better. These fish evolved with this need programmed into their DNA, and it is not something we can ignore, ever, if we want healthy fish. When suitable numbers (from the individual fish's point of view) are not present, it does have a detrimental effect on the fish. Sometimes this shows up quickly, sometimes much later. But it causes stress, weakens the fish in several ways, and usually the fish increases its aggressive nature in a hopeless attempt to deal with this frustration. So while things may seem OK now, I would suspect your fish are relatively new and young, and all of this trouble is only waiting to occur.

A couple other things. Angelfish are also shoaling, but more to the point...they are quiet and sedate fish, that will be harmed over time by having rambunctious tankmates. The barbs (bala shark) are prime causes, and the Tiger Barbs are almost certain to fin nip in time. And as for the Tiger Barb, they need around 10 or more, but they are not suitable fish to put in with sedate or long-fin fish. The Rainbow Shark may be OK, or they may not; they have been know to very suddenly become terrors to each other. The crayfish should be removed, these should not be kept in with fish, as Nick mentioned. The ropefish is also a problem, or could be, depending how you resolve the above.

Obviously, if you want these fish to live healthily you are going to have to remove several species and re-think the rest.

Byron.

 

[HOBERT]

Very nice answer Byron, very seldom do you see someone on a forum willing to offer that much excellent advice, Kudo's

 

[Byron]

Very nice answer Byron, very seldom do you see someone on a forum willing to offer that much excellent advice, Kudo's

Thank you. As I see you just joined, may I welcome you to TFF. You will quickly find several members (I won't name them for fear of forgetting someone) who are very knowledgeable and take the time to detail answers. I do this because telling someone "no" without the why is not likely to have much success. But I also find it extremely fascinating; I spent several years researching fish species and their habitats (and continue to do so) because it interests me, and I came to appreciate that this is a scientific hobby and it is important to at least recognize (even if we do not fully understand the complexity) that the laws of science will govern, and working with, and not against, nature is key.

Byron.