HELP! hillstream loaches

strange. Mine seem to be happy. they have better color than they did when i first bought them so that's a good sign. do you think they may forage after dark? I didn't think they where nocturnal but I hope their getting food somewhere.
 
ok so i got their egg painted rock in there and of course they wont even get off the glass to go check it out! they certainly are frustrating (but cute) fish!
 
Good color is a good sign. There's probably a clear bio-film on the glass unless you're a fanatic cleaner ;) or the tank is newly set up. It often takes a few days for new fish to get comfortable.

I think Jim Powers over at loaches.com feeds blanched kale (or some green I don't eat, lol). Maybe use a veggie clip with a suction cup to put it right on the glass. Try spinach or romaine, if that's what you have, soaked in hot water,maybe with some garlic.

Good luck!
 
When I first got my hillstreams I didn't know they liked cooler, fast water. When I found out and before I had a tank for them, I put a bubble curtain in the tank vertically with one end at the bottom of the tank and the other pointing straight up and the aerator hose attached to the bottom end. The loaches loved it as it made lots of movement straight up the tank giving them the illusion of very fast moving water moving over them, but it still left the rest of the tank pretty calm. They would hang out there most of the time letting the air and water move over their bodies. They love the algae on the glass and in time started nibbling on the algae wafers left for them at lights out.
 
Last edited:
AquariaCentral.com