Yo-yo and clown loaches

[MAM]

planning to get a 29gal in the near future. i was looking at getting a few clown loaches for bottom swimmers, but is a typical glass 29 gal rectangular tank too small for these guys? i've read they can get up to 6 inches long (was think 3 or 4 of them so they can group).
anyone with experience with yo-yo loaches? do they have any special needs besides a cave like place to hide? are they hard to find? would 3 or 4 be a good amount?
any thoughts, insights, opinions would be great!!!!

 

[Graeme]

Clown Loaches Sorry No! Mine are 8 inches and still growing. I've seen them at 11 inches in home aquariums. You could hold them for about a year then you must! upgrade to a larger tank. Yoyo's will be fine, 4 or 5 inches is about their adulthood size but this depends on regional size from area's of finding or breeding them.





Graeme.

 

[Alien Anna]

Hi, I've recently got some chain loaches (or "Pygmy botias"). They are fantastic little guys - maximum size about 2", but they're very skinny. They do eat snails - even though mine are babies, I found several empty snail shells this morning

You'd need a school of them ideally, but they don't take up much tank space. The only thing is that you need a very well cycled tank and good water conditions, so don't get them immediately. Wait until your tank has had time to settle down.

 

[Graeme]

Make sure you dont buy Botia Nigrolieata's instead of Botia Sidthmunki's (chain loaches) because they are very similer when still in juvlinile stages. That's if you want them?







Graeme.

 

[Alien Anna]

Make sure you dont buy Botia Nigrolieata's instead of Botia Sidthmunki's (chain loaches) because they are very similer when still in juvlinile stages. That's if you want them?

What's wrong with B.nigrolieata?

 

[Graeme]

Nothing! Just bigger Loaches that are cheaper than Botia Sidthimunki's and often sold as them with their price tag.








Graeme.

 

[MAM]

what do the pygmy botias look like? i'm looking for ones that have some flair (like the clowns and yoyos, with color or pattern)

 

[Graeme]

Okay! Here's one of my pictures of my Loaches so you can tell the differance and see what they look like.

Botia Sidthimunki (top) and Botia Nigrolineata (bottom). I'm to kind to you guys!

Graeme (LordLoach)

 

[Kissifish]

Oh, great loach king! What would we do without your infinite loach knowledge!

I still want to set up a Kuhli tank!

 

[Graeme]

You know where to find me!









Graeme.

 

[Alien Anna]

what do the pygmy botias look like? i'm looking for ones that have some flair (like the clowns and yoyos, with color or pattern)

Hi, pygmy botias certainly have flair - they are quite little characters and watching them snail hunting is hysterical. They tend to stalk the snail and then quick as a flash suck it out of its shell and flick the shell to the bottom of the tank. Then they appear to get so excited they do a little dance around the tank and say hello to all the other fish. They are rather hyper. I'm surprised at how tame they are getting so soon - I've only had them two days.

Mine are rather skinnier than that photo. I'm wondering if they are very young or just under-fed? I doubt Tri-Mars tanks are quite such rich pickings for a snail hunter. I suspect they might look like puffer fish by the end of the week

 

[Graeme]

They live for around 10 years which is quite amazing for such a small fish under the right conditions of course! All of AA say's is true but in a group they will protect each other as they grow! Lovely Loaches but rare now which is not good as they are almost wiped out in the wild




Graeme.

 

[platypus]

Hi MAM,

this is a wicked site on loaches, I've found it v useful when finding out all there is to know about clowns. I my loaches and IMHO they all have flair because they are all a bit crazy! I am now dying to get a new tank for Kuhlis and a few Botia Sidthimunki (Sid the Monkey!!!).

 

[-=DG=-]

I never thought clown loaches got big (even though everyone says so) until i was at the shop the other day. MAN were these guys BIG.

I think if people saw how big these beast get then you'd realise how big a tank you'd need to keep them happy.

 

[MAM]

thanks everyone! i've decided to go with yo-yos, that is, if i can find some around here. otherwise, i will go with chains, since i actually saw those in the lfs last night (they are very cute, never thought i'd find loaches cute, but they've grown on me). can't wait to get my new tank.