To Loach or not to Loach, THAT is the Question.

A

andytwite

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Apr 25, 2004
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I'm considering getting a loach for my 29gal community tank. I've trawled my LFS's and have so far found a few on offer. I've researched them on the internet, but would love to hear from people about their experiences with loaches and any other advice as much I have read appears to varied and often contradictary.The major factor here is probably size, I don't want to have to get rid of something 12 months down the road.

These are what I could get:

1. Clown Loaches: one LFS has some very small ones but I understand these suckers can get pretty large and I don't want to have to get rid of them in a year or so....much as I love the look of them.

2. Tiger botia (tiger loach): not sure about these, they look kind of interesting, but I did read somewhere they can be a bit aggressive? Size: up to 8"?

3. Burmese loach (polka-dot loach? Botia kubotai?). Two BEAUTIFUL specimens. I read they can be kept singly and can reach up to 8" (only one source quoted this, most others state 4-6" is more likely)

4. Kuhli loach: Intersting looking, quite attractive, stay small? Only two available...is this enough as I read they like groups.

Here are the others in the tank they would be co-habiting:

3 platies
2 guppies
6 neon tetras
4 albino cories

What does everyone think?
 
I'm a huge fan of kuhli's. They are fun fish, and they fit well in most of my tanks, but some don't like the fact that they hide often (mostly nocturnal, but come out for food). They will bury themselves in the substrate, so you have to be careful when vaccuming the gravel, and they can get into filters and under neath UGF easily. On the plus side, they are safe with pretty much all fish that won't eat them, they can be social and active in the right tank, and they keep the gravel clean of food. You could always start with this pair and add another 2-3 when they become available--kuhli's are very friendly to each other. I have a large colony, some solid, some striped, and they all hang out in the same pile of wood. The solids happily breed--haven't had the striped do so, yet.

I'll let others comment on your other options.
 
Closing this one in preference to the same post in Catfish and Bottom Dwellers.

;) Silly me--should look before I post.

OG
 
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