GASTROMYZON / SEWELLIA LINEOLATA Tank mates

[ollyj]

Hello all. Looking to startup a 55 gallon 48" x 12.5" x 18" river tank.

In my area I can get a hold of GASTROMYZON SCITULUS (SPINEY HEAD HILLSTREAM LOACH) & SEWELLIA LINEOLATA (RETICULATED HILLSTREAM LOACH) so I would like to make the tank for them.

Can anyone suggest how many of each I should get ? males ?females?

I would also like to add some other fish that tolerate high water flow. Preferably colorful and unique.

I like the Stiphodon rutilaureus or percnopterygionus freshwater goby / neon goby that look like they will work with the loaches.


and some smaller fish like

Tanichthys micagemmae, Microdevario , Tanichthys albonubes etc.

I'm not sure how much of the regular fish to get to be comfortable

If anyone has any other species to suggest for the loaches & gobys please let me know.
Does anyone know if its best to add them all at once or is it ok to slowly add them as I come by them.. appreciate it!

[NancyD]

I have a 55g with 3 gastromyzon ctenocephalus, 8 juvenile sewellia lineolata & 2 pairs of s. percnopterygionus. I plan to add T. microgeemae since a friend bred them but some of the smaller danios like tinwini look nice too.

[Diana]

The smaller Danios (Zebra, Leopard, and similar) are good in low temperature, high water flow. Get the regular finned, not long finned varieties.

White Cloud Minnows (yes, there are several species available now- Don't mix them)

Either of these species would be best in larger groups, but especially the Danios. They can be just a bit of a pest in small groups. Nothing like Tiger Barbs or Serpae Tetras, but just enough of a nuisance that you will want to keep them in a school.
I would suggest not less than a dozen of one species, and more if it is compatible with your other stocking levels.

I also had some fresh water Gobies in my river tank. I am setting up a new one, and I will definitely get them again. Also 'Hummingbird Tetras', aka 'Darter Tetra' a group of not-social Tetra that behaves like a Goby, perching on the substrate and darting here and there.

Nancy's set up looks really nice! Enough rocks for all the fish to claim one or more, and the fun of being able to find the fish with just a little search.

[NancyD]

Nancy's set up looks really nice! Enough rocks for all the fish to claim one or more, and the fun of being able to find the fish with just a little search.

Thanks, Diana! You need to come see my new sewellias, maybe after I get back. Looking forward to seeing your fishroom improvements.

Hmm, I just looked up d.tinwini & they might not be happy in a high current tank without some slower areas. Darter tetras always look a bit like loaches in lfs, cute! I see several species of gobies available, some look like they have big mouths but I really like all the stiphodons. I may add some more eventually. The males can fight a bit but no harm done, I'd keep pairs, maybe 3 pr.max of any 1 species so they can get away from each other & have others to display to & chase.

I'd strongly suggest setting up a quarantine tank for new fish, you never know what you might introduce. Even a 10g can work.

I also want to suggest Repashy Soilent Green gel food. I don't think I'd have taken the rivertank plunge without having an easy to feed option although I do have a few types of algae. I also have plants the fish perch on & graze on the auf wuchs.

I don't have a manifold just 2 Aqua Clear 70 HOBs & a powerhead but it seem to work.

[ollyj]

Thank you so much for the replies !!

Will be a while before I can find any of these species. This will give me time to get the tank ready. Need to swap out the gravel for sand and add my rocks and wood. Have a collection of live plants I'd like to include as well. Bought a piece of grapvine at the pet store and they said to soak it for a couple of weeks but now my research indicates it rots and may be poisonous for tanks so thats a major bummer.

Really appreciate the input again I got my wish list of fishes now I have to convince my husband to let me use one of his tanks

[Jim Powers]

I would also recommend Danio choprai, Danio kyathit, Danio roseus and Chela dadiburjori. They all love a fairly strong current flow and mix well with hillstreams. The only downside is that they will readily eat any Sewellia eggs they come across.
You can check them out, as well as other danio and related species at this website.
http://danios.info/