Loaches Online Forum

They have finally started to warm up to their new home, and this one in particular loves to chase his (or her) reflection.

I will be getting them an even bigger more sutable home this week. I care a lot for them already, and I've only had them a few days. Our 2 1/2 year old daughter gets so excited now to see them when they come out at night. I can't wait to get them a new home. I want them to thrive and live long healthy lives. I can't wait to get more.

I watched him (or her) for 45 minutes doing this.







My Pleco is still hiding somewhere. Haha. I'll put up a photo of him when I get my bigger tank.

How long have you had the tank set up with the clowns? Is your tank fully cycle? Do you have dithers (fish that swim around to let your loaches know the coast is clear)? What have you been feeding your fish?

Your fihs looks like he is doing the happy loach dance.

I had never heard of "Dithers" until you mentioned it. I'm still really new at keeping a tank with multiple fish in it. I only have Clown Loaches tho. And 1 small Pleco. I got them all small to begin with. Since I have such a small tank. Which I hate to even admit. I don't want people to think I'm stupid or careless. I'm like a lot of people starting out. Made a mistake on that one. I just don't want my poor fish to pay for it.

I've been feeding them freeze dried bloodworms, Hikari Sinking Wafers and freeze dried brine shrimp. Does that sound ok?? I know that they can have the sinking wafers. They seem to love them. They eat them all gone.

I know I've read that they like a variety of different foods. But mine are still small and I don't know much about what else to give them.

Hey there,

Don't worry about being new or asking questions. That's what we're here for and we all started as beginners, and most of us have made all the mistakes you have. I strated with a 1.5 gallon tank, and ended up with ten tanks while I learned that fish got too big or didn't get along. Now I am down to 8 tanks. I am a relative beginner, and so I ask you the questions people asked me to make sure you're on the right path.

When you upgrade and have a cycled tank, you can add some dithers. Calm schooling fish are great to let the clowns know the coast is clear. I have black neons. I also have Cories, and even though they are not technically dithers, they are out all the time and busy and make the clowns feel secure.

Do you have a common pleco? If so, be aware they grow to huge sizes. You will need to find a trusted source who can take the pleco when he is too big, and get a smaller algae eater like a bristlenose. It is a good idea to join a local fish club.

I feed my plecos cucumbers, zucchini and algae wafers.

I feed my clowns frozen blood worms and brine shrimp, cocktail shrimp, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, freeze dried brine shimp, freeze dried blood worms, Freeze dried tubifex, flake, zucchini and a other fruits and vegetables.

Very important though: is your tank cycled? How long has it been set up? Do you have a test kit? (They are on sale a Dr. Foster and Smith for $20 right now, instead of $34 at Petco/Petsmart). If you do not know what cycling is, let us know, so we can help you get cycled. You will need to be careful, or you will lose your fish if your tank isn't cycled properly (most of us have made this tragic mistake starting out).

I appreciate all the advice. So the more the merrier.

I want to do this right.

I'm not 100% sure what type of pleco I have. I can post the only pictures I've been able to get of him tho.

I have had the tank set up for almost 1 week now. I have a bad feeling I did this all wrong. I don't know why. Like I should have gotten a bigger tank to begin with, more fish.

Thats the main reason I joined this site. To get my questions answered. I just don't want my fish to pay for my mistakes.

I do have a test kit. It's the strips that test the Nitrate, Nitrite, pH, Hardness & Alkalinity.

I also feel terrible that I didn't know about the Dither thing. Maybe thats why they have been so shy and undercover. I feel awful.

This is my Pleco.

Also, when do you recommend putting the dithers in? Before I ad the Loaches???

Here's the good news and the bad news. I think your pleco might not be a common pleco. (That's the good news.) But I am not an expert. He might be a Bristlenose. I have several Bristlenoses that looked like him before they developed their bristles.

Having an extra tank is never a problem. Great you are upgrading.

Here's the bad news. Your tanks isn't cycled, unless someone gave you old filter gunge. A tank needs about 6 weeks to cycle. Cycling means you have developed enough bacteria to start the nitrogen cycle in your tank.

The nitrogen cycle is when bacteria breaks down Ammonia and turns it to Nitrite and another bacteria breaks down Nitrite to Nitrate. Then you vacuum out the Nitrate when you change water. Your readings should be Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0 and Nitrate less than 20. Because I believe your tank isn't cycled, as your fish continue to go to the bathroom in the tank, the Ammonia will rise to toxic levels. This is deadly for the fish. When the bacteria start to grow and change the Ammonia, the Nitrite will spike to toxic levels, and then the bacteria will grow and turn it to Nitrate.

Another bad news: the strips don't work, in my opinion. I learned that the hard way, because I have strips. The liquid is a million times better/accurate. https://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/ ... catid=4454

Because your tank is probably not cycled, you will need to do tests twice a day at least. If your Ammonia goes above .5, do a 20% water change. If you use Prime as your conditioner, you will get a false position with API test kit. It will read .5 hen it is 0. However, your Ammonia will probably be 1-8 as it cycles.

If someone else gives you advice, listen to them. Remember I am a beginner. If your tank isn't cycled. You may want to see if your local aquarium club or friend can give you some filter gunge. Or you may want to see if you can board your fish until your tank is cycled.

Oh boy. Yeah I had a bad feeling about those readings.

I do believe he is a Bristle Nose. I just looked up photos on Google and thats what he looks like.

I have 1 friend who keeps fish and has been for a longgggg time. I might be able to convince her to keep my fish for me while I cycle my new tank. She has multiple tanks, but I'm not sure exactly what fish she has. I know she keeps her oldest, dearest and more aggressive fish in a 90 gal all by his self. And she just got some African Cichilds. I don't know what else she has.

I do have a liquid pH test kit.

I will order that test kit as soon as I get enough money. Its kind of tight with that right now. Lol. So I need to make sure I have enough.

While you are waiting, PetSmart and Petco will test your water for free. Take them a sample. Don't let them tell you it is okay. Have them write down the numbers for you. I keep a journal with all my readings and everything I do to all of my tanks.

If your friend has a filter similar to your, ask if you can have the dirty, nasty cartrdige. Take it home and pop it in your filter. Then your tank is instantly cycled. I have more than one filter one each of my tanks, so I can other give friends cartridges or at least some of the yuck to help with cycling.

Getting a cartridge would be easier on your fish than moving them. And loaches can not go with cichlids of any type. South American can be too aggressive. African require totally different type of water. (There are exceptions. Your friend would probably know which tank would work best if you needed to board temporarily).

What do you mean by cartridge instead of moving them??

I know not to put them in with the cichlids. She has 1 other active aquarium which has maybe 1 other fish in it. I'm not sure what type tho.

The cartridge is the filter medium inside the filter. I don't know the actual name. Since lots of people have whisper or penguin, if your friend has the same type of filter as you do, you could get your friend to give you the medium in the filter. The nasty gungy stuff. You put it in your filter instead of your nice clean filter cartridge and then your tank is cycled or very close to it. THe filter holds most of the good bacteria.

Good about the cichlids. I know you have been doing lots of research. You will still find lots of people who put loaches with cichlids as snail control, and most of us would rather people didn't. If your friend can give you some of the yuck from the filter on their tank, then your tank would be in good shape.