question about my loaches

[latazyo]

I have a 20 g tank (as seen in sig) and I have 4 kuhli loches in it

I HAD a Dojo Loach, but I felt that he woudl be too many loaches for such a small tank

but now he is struggling in my friend's "foster" tank, so I was wondering if it would be alright to put him in there, he is a young one, only about 4.5 inches long, about the thickness of a pencil

so could he go in there too, or would there be too much competition for food

btw: the 12 neons create quite a mess of food, etc...so I'm thinking there will be plenty for them all to eat, but I need someone with some experience to help out on this one

 

[val]

Leighton,

I would think with your tank that you could support getting your loach back. What kind of filter? How often, really, do you change your water?

I've had fish I'd given away to friends, or farmed out for various reasons, only to want to get them back. So, I think you are to be commended for getting it back... Plus, second time around, I bet you will really come to cherish this fish...

Val

 

[latazyo]

explanation

alright, the dojo was origianally in a 10g with a pair of convicts and they tormented him and in fact gave him a good gash on his side, which was the reason for fostering him out in the first place

right now in the 20g I have (for cleanup)
3 otos
4 kuhli loaches
and 1 tiny common pleco (I bought him for the cichlids, but I"m letting him grow in this tank so that they won't pick on him (which they were))

honestly, this 20g is pretty dirty, water changes aren't very frequent, maybe 3-4 weeks (I know, that's gross, but it's the truth)

I just wasn't sure if 5 loaches in a 20g would be appropriate

I also drop shrimp pellets to the bottom once/day for the loaches, and they disappear overnight, so I assume they're eating them

also, correct me if I'm wrong, but the loaches will eat off of the bottom, while the otos and pleco prefer algae, right?

edit: I love the dojo, I fostered him because he was beign beaten up by the convicts

 

[Sum-X]

Five Kuhli Loaches would be fine, seeing that, all you have is tetras and Otos; the kuhlis will rule the tank (in a sense). IMO common Plecos are lazy and are not worth buying... if you're planning on buying one, may I suggest you get Bristlenose, or a shovelnose.... The may get to big in time but are nice too have. Come to think of it, three Otos plus a Pleco would be nice too, but the Pleco may end up hassling the Kuhlis... it's all in perspective of what you want to do!

 

[latazyo]

the pleco is back with the convicts, and he'll be fine as I have plenty of hiding places and they will soon be living large in my brand new 75g tank that I bought this weekend


I will move the Dojo over to the 20g sometime this week

thanks for the help, and the focus of this tank is the neons, so if I have an active bunch of loaches, I definitely will not mind

thank you!