Loaches Online Forum

specifically, in mixing with other types of loaches? with clown loaches or kubotai? good idea? bad idea?

darios mix well with all the "Indian" botias such as striata, histrionica, rostrata, kubotai, as well as clowns and the sinobotias.

I agree with Jim. B. dario is a great social, non-violent loach. Actually a very good match for the species Jim mentions - the right size, and the right attitude.

Just to upset the applecart here. I've seen differing examples of behaviour in Botia dario. At home in our 7ft Clown tank, we also had 11 B. darios for a time. They caused utter havoc and continually nipped at the Clowns fins (and yes, we continually saw them doing it) so we had to strip down the tank and catch them out, taking them back to our shop. Yet we have an 8ft loach display tank at the shop which houses a variety of different loach species - Clowns, B. histrionica, B. striata, B. kubotai, and B. dario. I have forgotten exactly how many darios we added, but I know there are not as many as 11 - probably more like 4 or 5. In this tank they behave very well towards all the other species and we have never observed any of this aggressive behaviour. My theory is that maybe they become much more confident (and more fiesty) in larger numbers. So speaking from my own experiences with B. dario, I would have to advise a certain amount of caution, specifically with Clowns.

Emma

Interesting, Emma.
Maybe they have sort of a mob mentality in larger groups.

Emma Turner wrote: My theory is that maybe they become much more confident (and more fiesty) in larger numbers.
Emma

I absolutely agree with this and there are so many variables on the behavior of loaches. The Dario or Queen botia do loose some of its feistyness when with some larger species like the tiger, beauforti or Helodes which will not be as tolerant and playfull with the Dario and this might reduce their agressiveness towards the clowns.

How would the Darios react with the Yo Yo's? I've got three Darios I am thinking of moving up with the 3 4 inch Yo Yo's. The Darios are about 2 1/2 inches in size. Right now they are in with 7 clowns and 4 polka dot loaches and so far so good.

The yoyos are bigger now and should be ok. But I think eventually there will be squabbles during feeding time and for pecking order. I think this normal behavior in a fish tank for these fish IMO.
My experience with the Darios was that they do not back down or run and hide when challenged and unfortunately in my african cichlid tank this proved to be not in their favor. I had to remove the one that survived. I lost her eventually.

I bought 3 B. Dario a while back and had them in quaratine for a while and I lost 2 of them. After some time I moved the one I had left to the 30 gallon with my B. Striata and they seem to get along fine. The Striata allowed it to join their school. Like everyone else has said, the B. Dario are totally different at feeding time and can get aggressive.