Will Different Loach Species School with each other?

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dbcb314

Hates the Overstocking Police
Apr 12, 2003
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Hypothetical situation BTW...


Lets say for example, you have a 125gallon tank. You love loaches and you think they are awesome, colorful bottom feeders. So you go online read up about some loaches, realize most need to be in schools of 5 or more, you pick out your favorites, and go to the local LFS.

But, when you get there... they don't have 5 of the loach you wanted. All they have is one of one species, 2 of another, 3 of another, ect. So now your confused but you really want a loach.

Then a bright idea pops in your head... "Hmmm, these loaches all look similar to each other. I will just by one or two of each to make a school!" So you go and buy one yoyo loach, 2 stripped loaches, 1 skunk loach, and one orange finned loach.

So... what would happen (ignore the fact the stripped loaches are more docile... couldn't think of any of other loach off the top of my head)

1. They are all lonely, only hanging out with there own species and will bicker with each other over territory.

2. They form a school of 5, one loach becomes the alpha loach like always and they live happily ever after.

3. Somewhere in between.
 
i have six loaches, 2 zebras, 2 bermese boarders, and 2 yoyos, and they all get along fine and interact with each. the yoyo loach is the biggest and is the alpha, but everyone seem happy
 
my dad keeps cory cats of 4 or 5 different species and they all group together, i know they arent loaches but they follow your situation
 
My Yoyo loach (I heard to only keep one, but may do some more research based on what you said about them schooling) has adopted a pack of Cories. They all hang out together and he seems to lead them around the tank!
 
Simple answer is that most similar loach species will get along well but wont really school together. It is possible if one doesnt meet the fishes social needs (as in not keeping them in large enough groups) they may either shoal with similar species 9still unlikely) or become increasingly reclusive. I've seen some turn very reclusive since I used to not keep them in groups. Some seem to have been permenantly effected by this (I still have a striata that hides all the time even though I introduced 7 more about a year ago). The striata had multiple small clowns and yoyo's to school with but wouldnt have anything to do with them.
 
I think they at least hang together, regardless whether you play semantics with schooling.
 
Even in large groups, some very similar botia have been known to have nothing to do with each other. Emma, one of the guru on loaches.com has not seen any shoaling habits between several species of compatable botia all in her big tank.

Most will get along, but dont try to make a shoal of 6 loaches from 2 yoyo, 2 kubotai, and 2 histrionica - they will probably never be seen all together like 6 of all the same species will. IMHO I wouldnt add another species of schooling fish until I had 5-6 of the ones I already have, and can support 5-6 of the new species as well (at a minimum).
 
Correction.

What Happened To Loach.com? I recently tried to go to their website, and It would appear that it's up for sale. Am I crazy or do others see this?

Ahh I see now, it's Loaches.com not Loach.com
 
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