[Shadow]

I have 10 Kuhli Loaches and plan on getting 5+ black ones wednesday. But I was wondering what other loaches make good community fish? I was thinking of adding some Dwarf Loach (Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki) for sure to the 125g.

Right now Im just looking [besides the kuhlies] as I still have the 55g the room for the 125g is in the works [2 months or less]. Im just trying to figure out all the equipment, fish, subtrate, etc for the tank right now.

Fish for the 125g:
4 pearl gourami [1m, 3f]
2 breeding kribs
2 breeding rams [uncertain]
24 rasbora espes [pork chops]
12 checkered barbs
2 BNs [1m, 1f]
15 +/- Kuhlis
5-10 Sids [uncertain]

I was thinking ADA for the subtrate but since its a 6' tank Im rethinking as it sound like it will just be a pain. Besides I don't know if the loaches would like it.

 

[mistergreen]

check it
http://www.loaches.com/species-index

their forum is a good source too.

 

[2polypterus]

in my experience loachs will nip at anything with long fins, like pearl gouramis. that only goes for the "normal" shaped ones though, I hear weather, kuhli, etc "worm-like" loachs are more peaceful.

 

[gointomexico]

I have a zebra loach, and the only thing he bothers is the snails. I have him in with a beta, bunch of x-ray tetras, an SAE, dwarf sucker mouth, and a pleco. They all get allong great.

 

[crazie.eddie]

in my experience loachs will nip at anything with long fins, like pearl gouramis. that only goes for the "normal" shaped ones though, I hear weather, kuhli, etc "worm-like" loachs are more peaceful.

What kind of loaches have you kept? I haven't seen this type of info anywhere. Maybe you have seen them shoal with other fish and thought the loaches were chasing them. I have seen clown loaches shoal with other types of fish, like tiger barbs. I also keep my clown loaches with angels for over 10 years and there has been no fin nipping involved.

 

[Mauser101]

In my previous tank I kept two Dario Botia (queen loaches) and one Hillstream Loach. It was a community tank that included Amano shrimp, black skirt tetras, a male Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami and a Rainbow Shark. The Dario's never bothered anybody but the snails I didn't want and eachother as they fought over shrimp pellets. The Hillstream loach just acted like a pleco, which is basicly what they do.

I loved those two Darios. They acted just like everybody says Clown loaches do and have a similar look about them but they stayed relatively small. I plan on including atleast 4 Dario Botia in the 60g I'm stocking right now. I'm just waiting for my snail population to grow so the loaches can have a fun tank introduction feast.

 

[Batch]

I've kept Yo-Yo loaches (botia almorhae), and know for a fact they are
semo-aggressive after making the mistake of putting them in with lots
of tetras. When the loaches got ~3.5" long, they started to eat them!

Batch

 

[Shadow]

How about with kuhlis and Cory cats what loaches would be good.
I know that narrows down the list. But I could not resist the cute little fellows so picked up 9 Julli corys

 

[pittiepride]

I too have a yoyo that is semi-aggressive and managed to kill 80% of his tankmates in a matter of months. Skunk botias are also another no no for community. Weather loach might be okay though, but can get rather large.

kara

 

[AmoAquafish]

Get zebra or chain loaches. I have five zebras in my heavily planted 20g with glowlight tetras, danios, rasboras, otos, a rubber lip pleco and a honey gourami. They are fine with everyone except the corys. They picked one to death, but for some reason left the other four alone. Maybe the one was sick and I couldn't tell, but the loaches could. Any way, the corys are going to be moved eventually. In a bigger tank they would be perfectly fine I think.

 

[JenThePlantGeek]

I'd vote for going with your first thought.

How can you not like Sid The Monkey loaches? - they are awesome!!!

 

[Shadow]

How would this work???

Corys [have], kuhlis (black and normal) [have] and sids [do NOT Have]

 

[pnchowdary]

I have two clown loaches in a tropical tank with mollys, platys and guppys and they never bother any of them. They just eat the ramshorn snails, other than that they are extremely peacefull.

 

[Lupin]

Botia kubotai? Yasuhikotakia modesta is another loach to avoid aside from the Yasuhikotakia morleti.

 

[spypet]

5+ black ones wednesday

are you getting those from FranksAquarium.com? I just ordered 6 Pangio anguillaris from him myself. the one he sells come 2" long, very thin and are brown. He said they won't show more purple color until they get comfortable in your tank, and like eels they spend most of their time buried in your substrate with their heads peeking up and are very sociable with each other; sounds like fun now that I have a new coarse sand tank with extra water flow :icon_smil

as for other good community loaches, I was impressed with the community spirit of YoYo Loaches until they all contracted some mystery disease and died on me.

 

[jesstray]

I have had up to 7 clown loaches in my community aquarium with Platy's, Danios, Rams, & various Tetras. The loaches never bothered any of the other fish even though they were more than double the size of some. Actually they are a little skitish, but are a lot of fun to watch. If you do go with Clown Loaches please get at least 3 of them. They do better as a group.