I am falling in LOVE with loaches...

[silver]

perfect loaches for my tank.

I have a community tank (See signature for habitants ;o) I have never had disease in my tank and my fishies are always very happy!!!

I LOVE loaches...they are absolutely adorable, but I am scared of keeping a fish with no scales. I hope some loach expert out there can help me. Is there any loaches that are easy to keep? Any that have scales? Any that don't get any bigger than 8 in. full grown that are still pretty and fun to keep? I have 2 children and I try and keep my tank members nice and neat to watch!!

Please help me my fellow fish lovers!

Much appreciated,
Silver

 

[semper fi]

jesse(?) would be the one to anser this one. he is the king of the loaches with 57 of the little buggers.

semper fi

 

[Tanked]

it is Graeme who is the loach king (he is the one with 57). you may want to PM him

 

[silver]

Okay....I visited Loaches.com and I have narrowed it down to these loaches that I really like:


Gold Zebra
Striped or Thin Line
Victory
Red Tail Zebra


Help me out guys!!!

Thanks.....hopefully Graeme will answer this post ;o)

Silver

 

[semper fi]

) oops!

sorry graeme!

semper fi

 

[Jesse]

Aww, I felt so flattered when you recommended me, but then I kinda freaked out cuz I really know stuff about red-tail sharks. Thanks anyway!

 

[semper fi]

i am going to remember when anyone asks a question about rts (red tail sharks) jesse is the one to call on!

semper fi

 

[Jesse]

Aww, thanks semper! You are a pal!

 

[gadazobe]

Graeme is definitely the one. Just one thing - I know that some loaches like to bury themselves in the sand - don't know which ones though ) . Do you have sand or gravel as a substrate in your tank?

 

[Starry^]

Def the gold zebra loach if you can find one.

I love my loachy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Starry^

 

[Thomas A. Anderson]

Clown Loaches IMO would be too large for your 55G tank.

In my middle tank (42G Loach tank) I have kuhli loaches, red tailed zebra loaches, zebra loaches & a horsefaced loach and polka-dot loaches.

All of these stay relatively small, and are all IMO very easy fish to keep.

The horseface does bury itself with just its head poking out.

Kuhlis can sometimes be shy and more nocturnal but the more you have the more adventerous they become (I have 13 altogether)

Skunk Botia can be slightly aggressive, I have one in my largest tank (70G) and he used to be a bully till I got my kribs and they sorted him out.

Yo-Yo's aka Pakistani Loach very nice but can be agressive with other yo-yo's if they dont have enough personal space.

The others I have never kept so can't help you, but Graeme is the main loach man.

 

[Graeme]

That's a list and a half!

Most of the Loaches you have listed are very mixed up in fishkeeping terms.

1st is the Sun loach (Botia Eos). Very aggressive loach! Botia Modesta is more peacefull than him!

Gold Zebra: I think you mean the Botia Striata. Great Loach that will get along with a C tank set up.

Blue Botia: Botia modesta is a semi-aggressive loach but mostly to it's own kind.

Emperor Botia: If you can find one! Let me know!!! Big loach that is not aggressive.

Striped/Thin line: Botia Nigrolineata is a great loach! peacefull and active.

Saddle Back: This loach is a hillstream loach. Special tank set-up with fast flowing waters.

Mountain Loach: As above! but there are several species.

Ornate Tiger sand: Rare!!

Victory: Fine loach that get's along with everyone.

Red Tail Zebra: Another great loach! Get One if you can!!




Hope this helps.
Graeme.

 

[Graeme]

Loaches under 8 inches and to fit a C Tank. There's loads of them but it's down to your LFS. Tell me which one's they have and i'll help you.








Graeme.

 

[silver]

Thanks Graeme....I will let you know which ones are around here!!! Then you will help me? B)

 

[Graeme]

Yes. Let me know which type they have and which fish you keep also.









Graeme.