Hillstream Loaches

[guppy2002]

I bought 3 reticlulated hillstream loaches a few weeks ago on an impulse buy because they looked so cool. Of course, now it has backfired. One died today and I realized that I really have no idea how to care for them. I couldn't find much about them online so I was wondering if anyone here knew about them. They currently live in my 29g community tank with platys and danios. The temperature is 74-75. All of my other fish seem fine. The other coaches seem fine too, but now I'm not sure. I'm afraid I'm killing them. Does anybody know how to care for these guys?
Thanks

 

[hudsona85]

I normally use this site for references for fish keeping. They are generally pretty accurate and has not steered me wrong. I hope this helps!  http/www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=830+885+3003&pcatid=3003

 

[Baccus]

Could you please put up a picture of the particular hillstream loaches that you purchased? I know from past experience many shops misname fish or even through no fault of their own get mislabelled fish from their supplier.
 
I have always found the following site particularly good for loach identification and care information.
http/www.loaches.com/species-index/
 
If the identification is correct than reticulated loaches (Sewellia lineolate)  generally need lots of water movement and current and with that plenty of oxygen in the water. With warmer water oxygen is generally decreased, where as cool water which hillstream loaches enjoy has lots of oxygenated water. They also don't really eat algae instead they eat the mirco flora and flora that itself lives in/on the algae. This is why Hillstream loaches need a good established aquarium with lots of established biofilm in order to survive. Smooth rocks that you have especially grown algae on comes in handy for these guys while replicating their natural habitat. The loach that died could have been bullied by the other two loaches, this type of hillstream loach can be pretty feisty amongst its own kind, with rough and real tumble fights that shouldn't cause to much real harm provided the vanquished male can make an escape. The other reason for the death could have been that it only just recently arrived in the shop from the supplier and had suffered either oxygen starvation in transit (setting it up for later health problems) or even food starvation.