Loaches for 20L

[Butters Skotch]

Are there any other loaches that come from SE Asia besides kuhli loaches that stay small enough to live in a 20 gallon long their whole lives? I really want some kind of loaches for my tank but I'm trying to find other options besides kuhlis. Thanks!

[plaalye]

I have a 20 long rivertank for my hillstreams: Sewellia, gastromyzons, and a few small schisturas. A bigger tank would be nicer of course but it works. I wouldn't put any other loaches in a tank that small.

[DAVIDFBT]

I think Hillstream Loaches are able to go in a 20 gallon tank, but they need a very different setup from most fish. They need a tank with high flow, river rocks on the bottom to replicate the look of a river, and algae for them to eat. I think you could also add a couple of bamboo shrimp in this kind of setup if you had a larger tank.

[fishorama]

A small group of sidthimunki, say 6-7, with the same number of harlequin rasboras would work. Not ideal maybe but ok.

There are some small schisturas & nemachelus that might work. More brook stream, less current than true hillstreams. Most are quite territorial with each other & other bottom fish but I have s.savona that aren't. Unfortunately I've lost some in quarantine.

I also have crimson loaches in a 29g (same footprint), they are more crabby but not nearly as bad as nemachelines get. Maybe a single fish of an aggressive but small species, although I prefer to keep groups. Many prefer a slightly cooler temp so some whiteclouds could work with them.