looking for some advice?

[mikev]

No problem with asking questions, it is much better than to get fish first and ask why things went wrong afterwards...
(I keep eight tanks with lots fish at the moment and ALWAYS ask questions about species I'm not familiar with yet, but someone else might).

20H is the 15g footprint, and for loaches it is the footprint that matters....plus you already have a competing bottom dweller (cories)...

I'd go for one loach species in sufficient numbers rather than try packing two into it.

Not fully sure what you mean by "banded loaches" -- schisturas?
(Usually, "Banded loach" means Botia hymenophysa and you don't want it...)
If schisturas, yes again it is possible to keep them together with either zippers or kuhlis (provided that you chose a non-territorial non-aggressive species). Small non-aggressive schisturas are fun, almost as much as the zippers.
But I still think you are better off with one species in sufficient numbers.

hth

[eelise]

20H is the 15g footprint, and for loaches it is the footprint that matters....plus you already have a competing bottom dweller (cories)...

I'd go for one loach species in sufficient numbers rather than try packing two into it.

Not fully sure what you mean by "banded loaches" -- schisturas?
(Usually, "Banded loach" means Botia hymenophysa and you don't want it...)
If schisturas, yes again it is possible to keep them together with either zippers or kuhlis (provided that you chose a non-territorial non-aggressive species). Small non-aggressive schisturas are fun, almost as much as the zippers.
But I still think you are better off with one species in sufficient numbers.

hth

I am happy with just one species of loaches, but which one of these? And, thes tiny cat fish are so tiny, a large fish could accidentally breathe them in. I doubt they would be a threat to a friendly loach. Could I go with three loaches of a warm water variety and be ok in this tank?

I think I meant this: Schistura savona, when talking about banded loach. I used to have a loach that looked most like a banded loach, though, the strips went the othe direction, so, I assume it is similiar. I just want loaches, and I am not ready to get a separate tank for my favorite loaches, weather loaches, so, I would like to make do with my existing tank, if it is a good fit for other kinds of loaches. I want happy loaches, not stressed loaches.

[mikev]

Well, then you got lots of good options. You will be ok with kuhlis, or zippers, or schisturas (again, as long as they are the peaceful kind, I believe that S.Savona's are, but you may want someone to confirm.).

Only you can decide which of the species is the best for you.

(I keep S.Poculi's who are very peaceful, kuhlis, and zippers, and they are all good choices).

There is one good thing you can do before deciding: check the requirements for your tetras and see if this limits your options. It might. (What species is the "albino tetras" anyway?)

Also, I'm not certain if you can find S.Savona easily. The place I mentioned before has S.Nicholsi's (or something very similar to it) who *seem* to be peaceful. They are supposed to have S. Scaturuguna in a week, this is yet another possibility.

[eelise]

I can't find the exact name of these tetras, they are not the white skirted albino ones, they are a simple tetra with red eyes. They have small fins and a small body. I think they get to be no more than like 2 or so inches. They are a friendly kind, very benign. I just keep seeing "minimum 5 loaches", and I am not sure I have a big enough tank for five. But, maybe three small loaches, but will that be enough room ?

[mikev]

What you want to know is (1) if your tetras will be ok with slightly lower temp, like 75F-78F (2) if they will be ok with slight current. The answers are probably yes, but if this is not the case, you may have to go with kuhlis.

If fewer than 5, probably not zippers. They interract with each other alot, I think 3 will not be happy. OTOH, I kept six in a 10g q-tank for a couple of weeks, and they certainly had more than enough space. Even accounting for them not being fully grown, I think five in a 15g footprint should be ok, especially if you give them a bit of terrain and some plants to climb.

[eelise]

I was told that 78 degrees would be fine for these tetras, so, could I get three kuhlis or three zippers ? or the other kind if I find they are friendly? Oh, there is a good current right now, from my water filter that comes from the hood, they manage fine, but I see them get pushed a bit in it.

[mikev]

You can certainly get 3. As I said, I think 5 will be better for them (especially zippers) and it will not be too crowded (but others may disagree).

Only you can decide which fish you will be happier with.

[eelise]

http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/H ... rLoach.php

this link says that zipper loaches are best kept alone, that they fight with their won, should I ignore that?

[mikev]

This is certainly in direct contradiction with what I see, they have a tendency to form a close knot (like kuhlis) when feel insecure. This is also in direct contradiction to what has been reported by another person who keeps 4 and feels they are lonely.
The other part of the profile that I believe to be untrue is

The Zipper Loach is nocturnal and can be quite shy until it becomes acclimated

Much less shy than most loaches. Active during the day, I'm not sure they ever go to sleep.

See what Graeme had to say about them on the other thread, his comments are terse but very much on target, including:

They hold no intention of harm, just curiosity.

The part about going after slow long-finned fish may well be true, they certainly find some fun in chasing WCMM and now Rainbow fry (both are too fast for them).

I'm also suspicious of

If well cared for, it can also have an orange-red cast to its fins.

I'm guessing that there may be a confusion here between Acanthocobitis rubidipinnis (red-finned loach) and Acanthocobitis Botia (Zipper loach). Now, rubidipinnis indeed may be aggressive as described, and this may explain why they say all the nasty things about largely innocent zippers....

[eelise]

thanks for clering this up for me. I think I am going to search for 3-4 zipper loaches for my tank. If I have trouble fiding them, I will aim for kuhlis, I likethem, but they are more shy that other loaches in my opinion, but still very cute.

Thanks for your help. I may have found a compromise between what my toddler wants in a fish tank, and what I want in a loach tank. I just didn't want to ignore her needs since the fish tank is in her room:)

[sophie]

the compromise won't work.

I started off with a small tank for my son's room. he now has a four foot tank as well as the small tank and my daughter has a three foot tank.

gah.

[Hurricane Charlie]

How does a toddler really know what they want in a fish tank?

Seriously, I'd think they'd enjoy whatever you decide upon.

[sophie]

How does a toddler really know what they want in a fish tank?

a toddler ends up loving what they get!

[eelise]

How does a toddler really know what they want in a fish tank?

Seriously, I'd think they'd enjoy whatever you decide upon.

With all do respect, I think my daughter does really know and have preferences, she is very conscious of colors. But, that a side, I want to make sure that whatever I do, I do not put any fish in conditions that will make it un happy. And, that is why I am spending time here talking to all of you. I am not in a place where I am ready to get a bigger tank, this is what I want to work with. You all I assume have read the ealier posts. And, clealy, when I had loaches before in college, I was given wrong information and I did not provide a very good home for them. So, I want to make sure what I do is right, of if not, wait until I am prepared to get a bigger tank, which isn't now.

So, is there a disagreement that I could get three sipper loaches or three kuhli loaches in my existing tank ? If Sophie you feel that my compromise if not good, I would love to know why so I can make better decisions in the furture.

thanks for all this information:)

[sophie]

I only meant that in my experience, I started off with a "compromise" for my son, and ended up with three tanks! fish are more-ish; I didn't mean to sound as if I thought your ideas were bad - just that they feel familiar. I didn;t, however, do what you're doing and get advice first. my mistake!