I have a tank that is around 2 months old. I have 3 Borneo suckers who have never eaten veggies or wafers placed in for them. They share the space with three ottos, 10 neons, two guppies, two endlers, and around 25 juvvies / adult cherry shrimp (red, blue and yellow).
It’s fairly well planted, 200 litres, and a long light time to encourage algae growth. Are they simply getting enough algae? The ottos like the zucchini and cucumber... not much else yet (and certainly not wafers)....
The only thing that comes to mind is that the Spotted Borneo Sucker Loach, like all other hillstream loaches, require an incredible amount of water flow to be happy. They come from shallow, fast moving streams, and may be unhappy in slower currents. Most of the guides I've seen say they prefer 10-15x water flow, in a linear pattern (all the flow in the same direction). They're typically not kept in planted tanks for this reason.
Have you tried a gel food like Repashy Soilent Green? I've had great success feeding that to aufwuchs grazers like otocinclus when I don't have enough algae.
I'm curious: Do you watch the wafers to make sure that the loaches don't eat them? Or do you just not see the fish dart to the wafers immediately upon feeding time?
The only thing that comes to mind is that the Spotted Borneo Sucker Loach, like all other hillstream loaches, require an incredible amount of water flow to be happy. They come from shallow, fast moving streams, and may be unhappy in slower currents. Most of the guides I've seen say they prefer 10-15x water flow, in a linear pattern (all the flow in the same direction). They're typically not kept in planted tanks for this reason.
Okay thanks for the info. It seems a bit divided on the best habitat for these guys. I do have quite a few rocks in the scape that they hang out on. I will check up on the flow.
Have you tried a gel food like Repashy Soilent Green? I've had great success feeding that to aufwuchs grazers like otocinclus when I don't have enough algae.
I'm curious: Do you watch the wafers to make sure that the loaches don't eat them? Or do you just not see the fish dart to the wafers immediately upon feeding time?
Hi - no I haven’t tried that. Will give it a go! The good news is I saw at least two of the Borneo suckers on the fresh cucumber today - whether they were eating it or looking for algae... who knows.
I don’t watch the wafers till they are gone. Sometimes the fish attack them straight away, other times I’ve seen the mystery snail on them well after I dropped them. And there is nearly always a cherry shrimp or three having a munch.
I’m also dealing with an unwanted snail outbreak. I was so careful to avoid them entering the tank but failed.... still trying to work out best amount to feed, especially so the bottom dwellers get a feed.
Yeah snails can be a pain. Alum's a good friend, but I'm not sure if shrimp do well with alum or not.
Grazing fish are just that, grazers. Unless they're starving or know where the food's going to be at a certain time, they aren't going to flock to the food immediately. I have 8 otos in a 20L now, and with that density, there's always a few near the Repashy when I drop it in, and once they've found it, they've found it. But remember that they don't just stay at a food source until they're full like other fish do. They graze, which means they meander around the tank.
The repashy has been great thanks! Also it turns out (after I invested in dwarf chain loaches) that it isn’t a snail infestation but ostracods! I’m now on top of that I think though (notwithstanding the loaches don’t appear interested in them at all...).
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