View Full Version : I need help planning a loach tank
serissime
11-27-2008, 9:46 PM
This summer, I’m planning on getting a 20 gallon L. I really want to make it a loach tank. However, I’m not seeing much on 20gal tanks. I would love to get something bigger but I live in university housing over the school year and the max is 20 gallons. Honestly, no one ever comes into our rooms and 30 gallons really doesn’t look too big… but I don’t know if I want to risk it. Even though I really want to!
Any stocking suggestions for peaceful loaches and dithering fish? I’m okay with overstocking to a certain extent. I would like the dwarf chain loaches but I’ve never seen them in any of my LFS and I don’t want to get fish shipped in if at all possible. I would like something like yoyos or angelicus if possible. I feel like they might be too big for a 20 gal.
If my tank seems possible, I have some more questions (regarding setup and equipment)! (Actually, a lot)
(my first post!)
cam191919
11-27-2008, 9:56 PM
do you mean you want to keep a group of one type of loach, or several types? both would be kinda hard in only a 20 gallon
how are you okay with stocking it to a certain extent, its the fish that mind
as for questions, ask away. theirs no such thing as too many questions here. btw, welcome to AC :D
Lupin
11-27-2008, 10:03 PM
Only loaches that'll fit there are hillstream loaches, dwarf chain or kuhli loaches.
serissime
11-27-2008, 10:25 PM
cam191919: I meant a school of one type.
Lupin: I may one day be able to afford dwarf chain loaches, but may end up with kuhlie instead. In either case, I have some more questions about setup.
Do you have experience with either of them? Which do you prefer? ;)
Lupin
11-27-2008, 10:28 PM
Having been into loaches for almost a decade already, I prefer dwarf chains.;) Kuhlis are just as fun though.
Having been into loaches for almost a decade already, I prefer dwarf chains.;) Kuhlis are just as fun though.
You been keeping loaches since you were 6? :rofl:
Lupin
11-27-2008, 11:27 PM
You been keeping loaches since you were 6? :rofl:
I said almost, H. 12 if you don't mind.;)
serissime
11-28-2008, 1:12 AM
Sooo I'm okay at the fishkeeping part but I'm terrible at the fishplanning part. If we decide to keep kuhli loaches, what numbers should we get? I want a school of small swimming fish, but more important is the loaches. Small rasboras or tetras if possible is what I'm looking for.
What sort of filtration setup is recommended?
I'd keep 5 as the minimum number. Usually, for me, sponge filter is sufficient enough.
Lupin <----- Loach master
gotglock
12-05-2008, 2:26 PM
I found that Kuhli's have always been kinda funny. Very miscivious if you have anything else. :P
Mine enjoyed playing "Loach Tag"... One would swim up to the other, rub up to him and would chase each other for fun. Sometimes both of them would chill in the same castle and come out when it was feeding time.
vanillarum
12-05-2008, 3:30 PM
I currently have both chain loaches (botia sidthimunki) and sewellia lineolata in my tank. They are both very entertaining to watch. In fact, my sewellias have recently produced fry for me ! I'd say the chains are a little more entertaining because they school great, whereas the sewellia usually stay in groups of 2, sometimes 3, and most times, alone. Nothing like watching a school of sids swimming together up and down the glass repeatedly. I got both of these fish online, as the 2 pet stores near me (petco/smart) wouldn't know a loach from a gourami ! Good luck. :thm:
jpappy789
12-05-2008, 4:51 PM
I would say sids if you could afford them (I'm hoping to have a school of them myself one day) but kuhlis are entertaining also. 5-6 would be a good school...:)
vanillarum
12-05-2008, 4:58 PM
That Fish Place on line is selling chain loaches for 9.99, thought that was a pretty good price. JMHO.
jpappy789
12-05-2008, 5:05 PM
WOW! If I had a tank for them I would so do that...hmmmmm
DAVIDFBT
12-05-2008, 9:46 PM
Kuhli loaches, the funnest kind of fish I have in my tank. :) I love their silly antics, like when they freak out and swim up and down the glass when I turn on the lights in the morning.
rill2004
12-07-2008, 8:17 AM
Okay I first want to say I have horse faced loaches and I love them, I agree with gotglock mine also love to play and do something similar to what his do. Fun to watch, that's for sure!
I also since wanted to ask about the dwarf chains someone was mentioning, does anyone have pics of these? We live in a small town and only one really "WONDERFUL" fish store, but I haven't seen these in his store.
Thanks
Krista
PS sorry for the small hijack!!
pinkertd
12-08-2008, 6:21 PM
I have a 55G heavily planted sids tank, there's 42 of them in there and I love them!!! I'm sure I've got a recent pic or 2 or 3 here somewhere...
They don't all have their adult coloring yet where the dark colors go all the way down their sides, but I am seeing a few getting very fat....and I believe they are females. Where's waldo in the last 2 pics??? LOL!
.
jpappy789
12-08-2008, 6:23 PM
Aw, the sids are so cute! Thank you for sharing Deb, that brightened my day! :D
pinkertd
12-08-2008, 6:29 PM
Sure! They remind me of weasels! In and out of the driftwood, up and down, spinning around, curious, nosey, full of energy!
Waldo is behind driftwoods.:look:
jpappy789
12-08-2008, 6:55 PM
LOL...I've been contemplating getting a small-ish group for my 30 gal. Though I'm not sure yet...
nguyendetecting
12-08-2008, 9:40 PM
cool pics and good thread. Are sids somewhat aggressive?
jpappy789
12-08-2008, 9:42 PM
From what I have read they are playful and active like most loaches, though they shouldn't be aggressive to other fish.
fishorama
12-09-2008, 9:01 AM
Sids aren't aggressive, more boisterous. I wouldn't trust them with guppies & my otos seem annoyed by their rowdiness. Sids seem to like fish with dark lateral lines, the SAE is popular with them.
Cute pics Debbi! Peekaboo!
pinkertd
12-09-2008, 9:11 AM
The sids are not aggressive whatsoever! My otos do the loachy dance with the sids up and down the glass. The first six I bought I kept in my discus tank for several months and they didn't bother any of those fish in there either. Their barbels look more like whiskers than barbels that say cories have, and I think they are a bit stiffer as well. So sometimes when the sids nudge up to a pleco or a cory, the result seems to show that the feel of that is a bit prickly. And as I've said before, the cories spawn all the time and the sids go absolutely crazy for the eggs. Last time I spotted one of the sids trying to snitch the cory eggs out from in between her fins before she had placed them down! So impatient! The sids are funny. In some ways they remind me of tiny porpoises!