Loaches Online Forum

Afraid it is too late!

If you read my intro, you will know that a few weeks ago I didn't even know what a "loach" was. Within a very short time we had 5 Kubs and 3 kuhlis (one of the first 3 Kubs jumped -- I did eventually find Suzzy's body -- seh must have really flipped around a lot, poor thing!)

The smallest two of the kubs were really skinny and small when they came home -- I thought the smallest, which was literally see-through, he was so skinny, would surely not make it, but they have all been fattening up nicely. They have gone through 2 weeks of Rid_Ich (came from very Ich-y store) and have had their first dose of Levimasole.

The 55 gal that we made to accomodate them is fully cycled and ready for them once they are out of quarantine.

BUT (here's where it gets really scary): My love really wanted Striata. He was out of town last week, and on the way home stopped at a fish store up north. They had Striata, including a couple with "interesting" markings. He called me, and I told him he could only get more fish if he got another Q-tank for them, and some bio-spira....

The fish store guy told him that his favorite loaches are Sidthimunkis, but they are "rare" and hard to get. But our local fish store had them, for $8.99.... (you can see where this is going)

AND (this one is entirely my fault) -- they had this great Sumo loach in a display tank, he seemed fat and happy -- whenever I was there I woudl admire him on his favorite perch at the front of the tank, acting like he owned the joint.

So now we have 6 Striata, 6 Sidthimunkis and a Sumo in on Q tank, 5 Kubs and 3 Kuhlis in the other, and we already need to build the second 55 gallon to have it ready for when the second group is out of quarantine (the q-tank has an AquaClear 70 on it and they are all LOVING the flow)

I have this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Am afraid that within a couple of months we will have a dozen tanks and no room for us in the house!!!!

And I am afraid that even if help is available, I won't find it here, you all will just start pushing 150 gallons, and 250 gallons, and next thing we know it will be a 10 foot tank and we will have to be adding special supports to our floors....

Katy, welcome to MTS, Multiple Tank Syndrome.
We are enablers, here. Won't help you fight it!

You really do not need the TV, do you? Loaches are much more fun to watch, and see what a big tank would fit in just that spot?

No TV, so that doesn't help.

Found a 45 gal on Craiglist, not far from where we were headed to cut our Christmas tree anyway, just waiting to hear back from him.... That will be a temporizing measure, anyway.

Hubby asked this morning how many Sids people said was the best for a school. He should know better -- on here the concensus seems to be about 100.....

Welcome to the addiction! Assimilation @ 75% and rising!

Tank sprawl can be a real obstacle to life and living, but there is a solution: consolidation. Everything could go in the same tank with a temperature window of 75-77 F (very narrow window though). You'd have to get creative with the decor to provide areas of lower flow for the Kuhlii though. I'm not saying it's a good idea, only that it could be done.

You mentioned that you were afraid of upgrade suggestions, but it really is the best method of reducing tank sprawl without downsizing your total loach population (which would be unthinkable). In my experience, one big tank is easier to take care of than multiple smaller tanks. A good 6' tank would solve most of your problems (I'm working on a 125 gallon 6'x2'x1.5'). Unfortunately, you are right, you won't find too much help here in regard to stopping the addiction. Fellow addicts make poor cessation councilors.

I know this feeling well!! When I first got into fishkeeping there were so many beautiful fish which I wanted to keep, many of them either not compatible or would just grow too big to have too many tankmates so I set up more and more tanks, the stopping point at that time for me was when it was becoming more hard work than pleasure! 10 years on I am much more selective and never impulse buy but at the beginning I would not have listened if anyone had told me I was getting too many fish, I simply had to learn by my own mistakes. I actually think it must be worse for you because your other half is also addicted, best of luck Katy, and for heavens sake don't look at marine fish - they are gorgeous!!!!!

Val

Sometimes when I go visit someone at their home and see a large empty space near a wall I start thinking that maybe something is wrong with these people. I just can't understand why they don't have a fish tank or something in that empty space. Then I start imagining myself setting up a fish tank in that spot. Is it wrong to fall in love with somebody else's empty wall space?

It's good to know I'm not the only one.

May of 2008, I got a 75 gallon to get back into keeping fish after 30 years. Back in the early 70's, I used to raise different kinds of fish and was even a fish judge at m any fish shows around central Texas.

With having kids and having to make a living, I got out of keeping fish. Biggest tank I ever had was a 40 long; but had about 20 total tanks. So, this time I told myself only one tank and make it a big one. Well, you all know the rest of the story.

One year and a half later, I have a 125, the 75, a 29, 20 and a 10. With my book cases and computer desk, that is all I can fit into a bed room that belonged to one of my daughters. You say, what about the rest of the house?

My wife of 48 years has said that if I even think about putting a tank anywhere else in the house, she is gone.

I just got my 125 and I am very happy with it. But, my wife thought real hard about leaving. I'm glad that she didn't, but it looks like it is my last tank.

Here is a picture of it. I just planted yesterday, so it does not look all that good yet. That is a school of 10 Serpae Tetras. Do ya'll think that they will be okay with all my loaches?

WOW!!! It may be your last tank but it sure is a nice one!!!

Val

That sure does look nice! I hope I can get my 125 looking that good at some point.

hahahaha!!!
I was sitting here feeling SO GUILTY because I just went and got a 125 gallon tank for the living room!
See, it could be worse!

oh no.....you don't have a BASEMENT, do you???

You're right Katy, we are no help to you and will only enable you, but you are doing a good job of entertaining us.

Keith: We were just admiring your beautiful water bridge -- the 45 gal is on the way and we are scheming....

Think the Kuhlis will inherit the 20 (the poor goldfish who started this all has been kicked out of his own tank to make room for all these loaches....

At least we aren't ready to kick each other out of the house over this.

And we have sworn to each other that we aren't crazy enough to go marine....

Do yourself a great, BIG favor and don't go marine. You'll eventually come back to loaches anyway, so save yourself the time, effort and expense of it all and just get a bigger loach tank now.

bookpage, your 125 is beautiful! You have some lucky loaches!

Rychek, you are correct. I worked in a LFS for 13 years and was drawn into marine and reef aquariums. I eventually broke down the reef but still have two marine fish because I cannot find a new home for them that I believe is good enough for them. My fondist aquarium memories always involve loaches, they are amazing!

Katy, I'm sorry you are a loach addict. Accept it, embrace it

Linda