Weather Loach - Tank Decor

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abcdefghi

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Jun 6, 2007
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This past weekend I picked up 5 weather loaches, they are currently in a 29G but I will most likely be moving them to a 55G at some point. At the moment they are about 3-4" long.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what kind of tank decor they like? I am using SMS for substrate, which they like to dig around in, and have tunneled beneath some driftwood I have in there. I also have a couple of sections of PVC pipe for caves, and some crypts (which they uprooted one of almost immediately).

They are really cool fish, very very active. I have had them eating out of my hand already. I am not sure if I have males/females, 3 of them are different looking to the other 2 (not that I am expecting them to breed). I am thinking of adding some more caves, maybe trying to construct something open against the glass so I can look in there.

Any other tips for caring for them? what kind of foods do they eat most? They cleared the tank of all but the largest snails that were in there in a day or two.

Thanks.
 

Fractalis

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Mar 3, 2011
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fine sand, caves, tunnels, etc.

as you have discovered they love snails
try meaty foods that would be fed to cory catfish
 

fishorama

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Jun 28, 2006
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I'm so jealous! Illegal in MA but not in my soon-to-be home state of Cali! 5 seems like a good number, I read they're not too fussy about foods: flake, pellets, frozen, it's all good. I hope to join the dojo club soon!
 

abcdefghi

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Yup, so far they have not been too fussy at all about eating. It's funny watching how active they are, and how they interact with each other. One day I will try to get some pictures of them.
 

dixienut

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Jun 15, 2006
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mine love blood worms,.. and for some odd reason all my fish, especially my weather loaches, love boiled chicken,..??
mine love to hang in anything in thet ank ie., plants floating, sit on powerheads,.. anything they can get to they love, oh mine are in bare bottom but i'm adding sand soon,.. had a change of fish,..
 

chickenlady

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Dec 28, 2009
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5 weather loaches for a 55 gal. tank? Umm, you don't think that is too much? The one I had in a 75 was enough. She was 8 inches long and really big around from head to tail. She would stretch out on top of my decor and watch the fish swim by, lol. Can't imagine 5 of them in a 55 when grown. Of course that's just my opinion.
 

aviva90

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Jun 19, 2010
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Aviva
I'm so jealous! Illegal in MA but not in my soon-to-be home state of Cali! 5 seems like a good number, I read they're not too fussy about foods: flake, pellets, frozen, it's all good. I hope to join the dojo club soon!
Welome *almost* I see your location says SF Bay Area, so welcome to the bay! I was born and raised here. Got me some dojo loaches too :) You definitely need to get some.

Feeding, yup they aren't picky at all, I feed them flakes, just make sure they have their own food source, they need more than food from scavenging. Mine love to fight with long blood worms too. Can't wait for pics.
 

abcdefghi

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Jun 6, 2007
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Well, decided to trade my weather loaches in today, awesome fish and I wish I could have kept them. Very personable, and happily take food from your hand or nibble at your fingers. I think they were just going to get too large, and were pretty much out-competing anything in the tank for food. The largest one was getting for hot dog sized in diameter, and not far off in length either. Catching them out of a heavily planted 55G was quite the challenge.

I plan to pick up some kuhli's instead, just having to track some down.
 
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