Horseface Loach

[lithe]

(I posted a long post in the newbie forum that mentioned one of my new--and luckily still alive--additions, the horseface loach).

I bought him yesterday because I needed a bottom feeder but didn't know much about them. He caught my eye all of a sudden with his strange look and darty swimming. Plus, I was assured by the pet store he'd be A.O.K. in my tank. 2 angelfish and a rainbow shark fish dead now and a quarantined, murderous baby puffer fish later, I now have a horseface loach that still won't burrow down in my substrate. Even while he was being attacked!

I have the small aquarium gravel mixed in with the next size up, about 4-6 cm across. There are non-potted plants in there which I am willing to lose. He just sits on the top of the gravel all the time, almost motionless but is still alive. Can he not burrow in that substrate?

 

[fshfanatic]

I have owned a few of those numerous yrs ago. I dont remember them ever burrowing.

 

[lithe]

I have owned a few of those numerous yrs ago. I dont remember them ever burrowing.

I do know that they are supposed to burrow; I saw it when he was in the tank at the aquarium place. Trying to get away from the net, he immediately burrowed down in the substrate. Even as I write this, I am sitting right next to the tank and my betta got too close for comfort and he attempted to burrow but it seemed he couldn't lift the rocks. He is now hiding under a shell. I have no idea how to go about changing all $30 worth of substrate in the bottom of my tank without upsetting all the fish and doing a complete tank water change.

 

[ConnerFish]

Maybe he would like sand. You could get pool filter sand or play sand for pretty cheap. Place all fish and live plants in a bucket drain the water and change the substrate. It sucks but I have done it on a 55 gallon tank.

 

[Manafel]

I have found that most fish actually like sand, plus it is easier to burrow into. Keep your gravel in case you get another tank, before you put the sand in, be sure to clean/rinse it! Otherwise your water will get really cloudy.

 

[Cathan]

Loaches should be kept in a sandy substrate. Most fish even prefer it. Try a gravel to sand change. Theirs a few guides around here.


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[DaisyTattoo]

I've had many horseface loaches. All kept in sand. And all stayed burrowed most of the time.

 

[lithe]

Thank you all so much for your help. Today, I replaced all my substrate and reset my tank with sand. It was a massive effort. It took me at least 5 hours to totally reset the tank. I placed pvc pipes as caves and little tunnels for smaller fish to escape from the more aggressive fish and no plants for the horseface to knock over. He is so much happier. You can see his little head poking out everywhere and he is actually quite active now. As soon as you drop food in, he comes out of no where and its so awesome how you can see the sand actually go in his mouth and through his cheek and back out his gills. He is my most entertaining fish! Thank you for your help guys! You've been a life saver!