Loaches Online Forum

If at all, would you mix
botia stratia with pangio oblonga
botia stratia with yasuhikikotakia morleti
botia stratia with yasuhikikotakia morleti and pangio oblonga.

Hi Brian,

No, personally I wouldn't advise mixing any of those species.

Botia striata & Yasuhikotakia morleti prefer much faster flowing water than the Pangios, and the Y. morleti are far too aggressive to house with the peaceful B. striata.

Emma

Thanks Emma,
I actually don't have the skunks yet, but if I went ahead and got them, do you think I should put them in a river tank set up, with what dither fish?
Neon tetras, or leopard danio's, or Cambodian red back Tetras.

Hi Brian,

The skunks would enjoy the flow from a river tank type set-up, but they would require tropical temperatures. The warm temperature and the fact that these are feisty loaches means that dither fish must be chosen carefully - robust, fast-swimming species are required. Some small-medium species from the Puntius (barb) family make ideal candidates, but remember the tank wants to be of good size despite the smallish adult size of the skunks. They become very aggressive with age and like to have a big territory to roam.

Emma

Thanks so far Emma,
With the movement of a couple of fish I could have the river tank set up for skunks, but the dither fish I mentioned are the one's I have, which, for the tank space I have, it would be a little difficult but not impossible. so I thank you so far. K

Hi again Brian,
Definitely don't risk the neon tetras in the same tank as the skunks, they will become dinner. The leopard danios are obviously out too because of the temp. Are the other ones you mention Colombian Red Finned tetras (Hyphessobrycon columbianus)? If so, they grow a bit larger than many of the other members of the genus and are quite robust. Having said that, I have not tried this combination myself, so you might want for others to weigh in on this. I'd still recommend some of the small-medium robust Puntius species as dithers for a skunk tank. And make sure you get a good sized group of skunks to spread out the aggression.
Good luck,
Emma