Loaches Online Forum

Hi all,

First time setting up a all loach tank about 2 months ago

Have a pair of 2 inches pictus cats and thinking of releasing them in a 48 x 18 x 18" tank (67 gal) with 13 clowns, 2 striatas and a Schistura sp. Barebottom tank with 2 big bunches of Java Fern, some rocks, a half coconut shell and 2 short pipes as caves. They are between 1 1/2 to 2 inches, and are quite stable now. Thinking of adding 5-7 botia kubotai and some Bosemani rainbows later.

Will the cats terrorize the loaches especially at night? Will they fight over any cosy hidey holes ? Anyone any first hand experience with them?

Thanks for yr comments

Oh, there are also 2 Garra flavatra (Panda Garra) if that helps All are getting along real happy at this stage.

Reason I want to add the cats is that I know they require a long tank, at least 48" and at present they are in a 36" (50 gal) tank.

Earlier I added a red tail shark. For the first few days all's well. Then the shark took advantage of the loaches docile nature and started chasing them. Out he goes.

Had a tough time netting him as I had to remove all the deco in the tank . Don't want to go thru this again which is the reason for this post.

BTW, tank is filter by a powerhead with a prefilter, one outlet with a venturi and another attached to an overhead filter.

The kubs could live in a 4 foot tank, but clowns, especially 13 of them, will need more space. I have never owned pictus cats but I have heard mixed things about their temperaments. IMO they would be fine with medium-large clowns, but would pick on the kubs. Also, the pictus will grow very large, quickly, while the loaches grow much more slowly.

I would suggest a larger tank with many more hiding places if you intend to keep these fish as they approach their adult sizes.

from your last post, it sounds like you also need more filtration for a tank that size, with that much stock. clowns get big and eat a lot of meaty foods; very messy. The pictus would be even messier.

Thanks for yr quick reply, Pierce.

Yeah, plan to move to a 6x2x2 tank later when they grown a little. I make 20% water change every nite after feeding which is why I see some growth in the clowns within this short period.

Thanks for yr comments on filtration. Currently, I see quite a good water movement in the tank even with the powerhead vol turned way down low. The overhead filter also created a good flow. The clowns are very lively. I may add an external power filter as soon as I get hold of a replacement impeller.

From what I read, pictus cats are good scavengers, but quite territorial when older. Grows to 4-5" max. That's why I need first hand experience advice. At first, i added them to my bichirs tank (5 of them about 8-10" with 2 3-4" blk Ghost Knives), but netted them out immediately as they seem too small. Worried that they might injure my bichirs with their fins or the bichirs might choke if they swallow them.

BTW, Pierce, forgot to mention that there are also 2 4x5" sponge filter in the tank as well.

I have a cat with my Clowns. It has the same sort of actions as the Pictus, but is not. He (she?) seems very shy. I only see quick glimpses of him.

I would worry that your tank is already getting overloaded. Add the Pictus, (you are right, they do much better with more floor space) but skip the Kubs until the Clowns move up to the next tank. Add more hiding places. Have more than one per fish. Yes, some will not be used. Some fish will double up, others will claim several, and move to the other caves at times.
Coconut shell caves will not be big enough for very long with the fish you list. Probablu OK for Kubs for quite a while, though.
Rainbows will like the large tank, too. But again, I wonder about over stocking.

Thank you for yr comments and advice, Diana.

I won't be adding the pictus cats unless I know they are not bullies and they will probably be taking away any comfy caves from the clowns if they are territorial and dominant over the clowns. Would be interesting if you know what cat you got there.

IMO, I still think there's still enough room for more loaches as the plants and deco are all in one back corner and there's lot of swimming space. Anyway, I'll be getting a replacement impeller for a power filter to drive an old Fluval 303 canister if it looks like needing it.

All the clowns now are always in the open, looking for things to eat, not hiding which is why I don't want to create too many hidey holes; Hidey holes are only provided for them to tuck away for the nite . The 2 4-5cm pipes, the few pcs of rock deco, arranged to provide some caves too, coconut shell, and a med size root (ah! again I miss mentioning that) with 2 big bunches of Java Fern attached to 2 small indv bogwood are all I present to the clowns. Take it or leave it . I want them to be bold. And they are bold, colorful and lively, look very contented and happy currently.

Forget to mention that there are also 4 juv blk mollys temporarily to provide security to the loaches showing them there's no predators around and as scavengers. They will stay or be replaced eventually (depending on the overstock factor) by the bosemani bows; that's what I currently have in mind or something suitable, if I happen to spy on any later, but not tiger barbs.

I appreciate yr concern on overstocking, Diana. This to me is rather subjective . As this is only a grow-out tank, so it's temporary. I'm feeding heavily (again it's rather subjective, or should I say several times daily?) but not to the point of blowing away the stomach . Hungry enough so the clowns still scavenge around the tank, thus making sure there's no food remain after feeding. By the end of the day, most of the fish waste will be around and below the power filter attached with a 15cm long prefilter in a corner about 10-12cm above the tank floor. This power filter, as I mentioned earlier has 2 outlets, one with a venturi blowing bubbles in the tank, another outlet attached to a 30x12cm overhead box filter. The deco and plants are in the opposite corner. Very easy for me to siphon out the waste and replace with fresh water, hence the tank's bare bottom rather than a substrate bottom. Neat and tidy.

I just checked the clowns size and am quite amazed that they have grown 1-1.5cm or more these 2 months considering what I read about clown's growth. I only once read somewhere (as opposed to many) that juvies grow fast until a certain size, maybe 8-10cm. I believe the daily water change and power feeding promotes the fast growth.

Once the clowns reach another 2-4 cm, I'll be moving them to a 6x2x2. If I do add the kubs and bows, maybe sooner.

Thanks once again for yr thoughts.