I Just Wanna Kill This Loach!

[wwestar2000]

Well i downgraded my cichlid tank to a 10 gallon. Its just 2 keyholes and a redfinned loach. Well its a long story but one of the keyholes changed sex. So its unique to me. So the keyholes made a pair. And now to my dismay my keyhole has a bite on her face. Now shes acting very sickley and scidish and ive seen the loach come out of the ornamant and chase her. U just cant trust walmart. It was Th fish of the month and they had really wierd colored orange finned loach and it said they are peacefull community fish that will clean up the bottom of the tank and will stay under 4 inches. Well yeah the only thing that stayed true was the size. Well don't know what im gonna do about him.

 

[Durbkat]

What size tank were they in before you downgraded them to the 10g?

 

[wwestar2000]

Well because i had 3 keyholes and they only grow 4 inches max i kept them in a 20 gallon.

 

[QuartzSarah13]

playboy...i have no idea what i'm doing here bc i dont know anything about fish...but w/e here's my comment... ...i didnt kno fish could have a sex change...wait no, i think i did b4, then i 4got...

 

[Jen]

Well, if it is a true red-finned loach, all the info I can find for them on the net says they need a minimum tank size of 40 gal. So he could be showing aggression because there are to amny fish in 'his' personal space.

 

[Durbkat]

Why did you down grade the tank for because that size tank is extremly to small for those fish and thats why your seeing aggression.

 

[Teelie]

U just cant trust walmart. It was Th fish of the month and they had really wierd colored orange finned loach and it said they are peacefull community fish that will clean up the bottom of the tank and will stay under 4 inches. Well yeah the only thing that stayed true was the size. Well don't know what im gonna do about him.

Hard way to learn that lesson. They made the same claim of Figure Eight Puffers here last month. Called them a community freshwater fish, neglecting to mention they were in fact highly aggressive as all puffers are and are really brackish. Or that they need their beaks kept trimmed like rodents. Oh, btw, I knew this beforehand though it did tempt me to get them anyways for a future tank.

Next time, do research on the fish before buying them, don't trust Walmart or even the LFS to know. The odds are against you having a competent employee who knows their stuff. Unless whoever is helping you is actually a properly trained and knowledgable person, they won' t know what they're selling.

 

[wwestar2000]

actaully i made a mistake ther called Orange finned Loach

 

[OohFeeshy]

Same thing really, get to about 12" if I recall.

 

[wwestar2000]

but you know its not just wm's info also the book i've always relyed on doesn't say there aggressive. And in wm it sayed they can live in a 10 gallon community tank.
I guess My tank is on the verge of being overstocked by the inch per gallon rule. The keyholes are about 3 inches long and the loach is about 4. But eventaully the keyholes will grow an inch more. And it would be considered overstocked. That is if the poor fish doesn't die. But i just dont get why to species of shy fish would be agressive toward eachother. Mainly the loach toward the keyholes.

 

[The-Wolf]

wwestar
are you in the UK?
I'd gladly take the loach from you as I have two that are 6"

 

[wwestar2000]

Same thing really, get to about 12" if I recall.

no they actaully only grow to be 4 inches max. Thats why i bought it. And ive had it about 6 months now and i got it 4 inches and it still 4 inches.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Same thing really, get to about 12" if I recall.

no they actaully only grow to be 4 inches max. Thats why i bought it. And ive had it about 6 months now and i got it 4 inches and it still 4 inches.

Taken from loaches.com

Home : Species Index : Orange-finned Loach (aka Blue Botia) (Botia modesta)

Source: Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia
Length: Up to 12in (30cm)
Diet: Worms, crustaceans, insects,and dried food
Water temperature: 77-86 F (25-30 C)
Species Tank enviroment

...However, when kept in small numbers, it can become agressive and should be carefully watched when introduced into a tank.

 

[wwestar2000]

wwestar
are you in the UK?
I'd gladly take the loach from you as I have two that are 6"

Im in the usa. All my info says they are 4 inches max (although they have lead me wrong already) Maybe mine is a diffrent sex from yours cause mine has been about 4 inches long for a long time. Even with that i might be exagerating because i only ever see its head. Very seldomly he will flah out one whole and into another.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Exactly... All the info you have given us fits exactly with the description of the orange finned loach, and that Walmart is most definately NOT the brightest crayon in the box...