setting things up

[newshound]

hello all
I currently have
6 young histonicas
1 yo yo
2 small dario
1 large dario
1 kubotia
4 zebra
1 sid
1 long nose
in my tanks (4 ranging from 15 gallon to 75)
a friend is selling me these mature loaches
1 horse face
2 modesta
2 strata
3 yoyos
3 skunk
1 clown (4 inch)
2 robusta
2 leccontei or eos (sun) loaches
now the quick question is--
how do I divide my fish stocks up now?
according to aggression levels
eg--don't put skunks and modesta with sids and hisrtonicas...
thanks

[Mark in Vancouver]

That's a big dilemma. I keep my skunks and horsies together, but skunks being themselves do hassle the horsies. Watch out for the B. eos.

Ideally, you want one giant footprint for the peaceful loaches and one for the aggressive species. I would aim to keep them separate. And remember that a four inch clown is hardly mature - when you're talking about a foot long, then you're talking mature. And that calls for a bigger tank than 75 gallons, IMO.

[Martin Thoene]

This is a logistical jigsaw that needs the specific tank sizes to enable any groupings to be made IMO.....and even then it may not be workable.

Martin.

[newshound]

That's a big dilemma. And remember that a four inch clown is hardly mature - when you're talking about a foot long, then you're talking mature. And that calls for a bigger tank than 75 gallons, IMO.

M&M came through in the clutch.
I knew you two would reply thanks.
This is just too big of a deal to pass. It is hard enough to get reg ular loaches in Northern Ontario let alone these rare ones.
Right now all the loaches are in the same tank!
I know the clown isn't fully grown and same with the Yoyos.
It was the last of the Clowns...the others (bigger) were sold right away.
If you recall I asked about 1 year ago about this same issue. The tank also had a 7 inch tiger and 5 kubs. The tiger was sold and the kubs vanished!
I am going to get rid of the more aggressive ones to a bar that has large tanks along with my tiger barbs.
So that would be the modestas, skunks, and eos.
I figure this set up.
45 gallon the 6 histronicas, 6 zebras, kubotia in one tank.
70 gallon the 3 darios, 4 yoyos, clown and two robusta with the long nose and horse face in another.
15 gallon the sid alone.
Not sure if I should just give the clown to my brother for now. He has a 45 gallon with a large rainbow shark in it.
Because of a f*^k!^% HOB leaking filter on my wood floors I had to tear down my 45 gallon fast two nights ago and move it. I had to put the kub, 3 darios, 4 zebra and one yoyo in the 15 gallon. This morning when I went in that room all the loaches except for the large dario were in a pile sleeping! I have never seen that in my tanks before. Don't worry it is a short term stocking and I have added my extra filtation.

[Emma Turner]

Whoever ends up with the eos/lecontei, do make sure they know what they are in for. They are extremely aggressive loaches and in the confines of an average aquarium they will think nothing of harassing and damaging bigger fish, particularly at night time when they are most active. Your best bet is to house them in a tank at least 5ft long, with lots of hidey holes/territories for them. Skunks should be able to hold their own against them though. Another species on your list to keep a close eye on will be the robusta - they seem to become more fiesty as they age.

Emma

[Mark in Vancouver]

Agreed, Emma. I would also add the single sid to a larger, peaceful tank. Keeping him/her on her/his own - or at least without other fish - wouldn't be right, and sids won't "terrorize" other fish. They're just curious.

3 skunks in a 45 would not be a problem, provided they have good hiding spots. I would even watch the shops and see if you can add two more. Skunks are showing up here all of a sudden - after a long dry spell - for $2.99. They're abundant in the shops.