Loaches Online Forum

hi all,

Long time reader, first time poster!

I have recently set up a 300L Juwel Rio and intend to add 5 YoYos to it once it's matured a bit further.

Currently, it contains two Bamboo Shrimp - Atyopsis moluccensis

They are fully grown, around 8 cms each.

The Botia Almorhae are still all juveniles, not much bigger than 4 or 5 cms.

The big question is - will they eat my shrimps?!!
There's plenty of hiding spaces in the tank - caves, bogwood, plants etc...

Thanks for your advice.


Wex

It sways very much into the More than likely will do. If they don't kill it outright they could damage, harass and stress them to death.

Not sure I agree, Doc.
I had one big monster (>8cm) of one of the local fan-shrimp species in with a good school of clowns and some other "stomper" species (cichlids and stuff) a couple of years ago, and that shrimp ran the show. Fantastic brute- maintained order and pushed all troublemakers aside.
It eventually died of, I think, starvation. Be sure they are getting enough food. That's where the loaches may become troublesome as they will be direct competition, particularly if the shrimp are timid or nocturnal, as mine was and this species tends to be. A new tank will also not have much random food bits in the gravel, so make sure they're eating what you provide.
I've got a much smaller (3cm) female fan-shrimp now and the loaches seem to leave it alone. Angels are the problem there.... so she only comes out at night.
A

I keep my fan with kuhlies. I wouldn't trust her with others, too gentle.

Just read a little blurb on the asian fans/bamboo shrimp.
Seems they are susceptible to loaching. Maybe more delicate then these Carib armored mutants.
Best not risk it, or at least observe carefully and be prepared to remove/relocate.
A

Thanks for the advice folks... sounds like it might not be a good idea.
The guys in my LFS (who are usually pretty OK advice wise) reckoned that small loaches wouldn't see something that's bigger than they are as food, especially if it was pretty well armoured. Then, as the loaches got bigger, the shrimp would probably die before the loaches got big enough to suddenly fancy a prawn cocktail.

I've got a small 55l tank with a 5 tetras, 3 otos and an RCS, so if it does get hairy I'll move the big boys over to that. Would be a shame though, they're much more "to scale" in a 300l !!

Food wise, I've ground a whole load of algae wafers into dust and add a teaspoon of that to the water per day to keep the shrimps happy...

Wex

I had a lot of luck with garbanzo beans from the tin. Squeeze them up a bit so their busted up but not powdery. Shrimps love it.
A

"more beans Mr Taggart?"

Thanks Andy, I'll try that.

Just a quick update...

The famous 5 have been in the tank for nearly a month and so far they have totally ignored the shrimps...

They've happily munched their way through all the small common snails (and there were a lot of those) but don't seem too bothered with the MTSs yet.

It's all one big happy family at the moment. I'll report back with any adverse findings as they get bigger.

My LFS has offered to take the shrimps back if it starts to get a bit hairy

Some fish learn to suck the meat out of the MTS, but the shells are too tough for most fish.

Sounds like the shrimp and Yoyos is working out so far! Hope it continues