Loaches for a 46g bowfront.

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Jan 26, 2010
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I'm starting a new aquarium beginning today. I'm not a newb, I have an established 55g standard, community tank with 7 Cories in it. But I think I want to go with Loaches as my bottom dwellers with this new community tank.

My first impulse is to get 4 Botia Dario's but I see that they can get up to 6 inches long...yikes.
I'm open to the idea of other Loaches or mixing compatible buddies together.

The substrate is white river gravel and I'll be setting up plenty of hiding places. Unfortunately I'm going to have to stay with artificial plants right now so plant friendly isn't a consideration.
 
In my 46BF I have a group of sids and a group of sewellia lineolata, and they get along just fine. I just added 8 otocinclus cocama and they all seem to be happy. Good luck.
 
Okay, my tank came and I knew the lighting system that came with it would be horrid but sheesh, what a piece of crap. So I'm heading for Petsmart to look for a dual bulb T5 setup (36" bulbs). So that means I may consider live plants after all.

Thanks for the advice so far and I'll look at the recommendations.
I'm not sure about the Loaches roomies yet. It will be a community tank though. I still have some time to plan for the fish that go with the Loaches since I still need to cycle the tank.
 
I love rasboras with loaches, harlequin, espei & red tailed. Check out loaches.com species index for lots of loach profiles but some not too commonly available.
 
Just a quick update of what I keep with my sids and sewellia lineolatas: 3 guppies, african 3 stripe glass cats, reg glass cats, hummingbird tetra, zebra ottos, affini ottos, orange laser and sterbai cories, SAEs, L333s, L104s, and a single L240, flounder, half beaks (2 types), figure 8 puffer, 3 farlos, von rios tetras. Overstocked ? You bet I am !! But they all co-exist quite nicely, and have for almost 2 years. I also keep live plants, caves, and wood in with them. Good luck.
 
kuhlis will be the esiest to find, least space consuming and least expensive
if there not loachy enough for you you culd go with yoyo or even clown as loaches tend to be quite slow growing but be prepared to relocate them in a few years
chain loaches wuld be your best option but there $15 a fish OUCH

as for buddies as long as you find something that wont gobble them up loaches are no danger to other fish
 
I have sids and zebra loaches together. I enjoy the zebra loaches. The sids chased my Angels and nipped at their fins. I had to remove most of them. I have a power head creating a current in that tank. In a smaller tank with two power heads I have a few sewelias but they hide under the rocks most of the time. I have a few L340 plecos in there with them. At least I think I do, not having seen them since I put them in a few weeks ago. I tried Clown loaches but they got the itch and died. I did like their activity but the zebras and sids are active.
 
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