Loaches Online Forum

Hi all! Fish novice here so be nice ! So I wen to my LFS and asked for advice on a nice starter tank and some easy fish to keep, so they pointed me to a 12l fish tank to start and a goldfish and hong king Pleco (they said) which turned out to be a hillstream loach (butterfly loach I believe, do I handy set this up and reading up realised that the tank needs to be 'cycled' anyway this was about 5 days ago and the loach is still around seems to be doin ok I realise that my tank is still cycling and that the loach may not make it... When I told LFS they just said I must have done something wrong when te goldfish died.. So I've got a bit better knowledge now and wish I had been told about cycling the ank before I bought the fish!!! Anyway, assuming the loach does make it and the tank cycles ok, I know the loach will outgrow the tank and I'll need to upgrade when I he more anyway, but my question is: my dad has a elite stingray 5 filter it's 120l Ph will this be far to strong for the loach as I know they like very strong currents! Any help would be appreciated! Thanks! X

Hi, I wish I could be nicer but I feel you have been poorly advised.

So, you have a 12 litre aquarium and you have a 120 litres per hour filter? Sounds about right for turnover in theory.

I have a Hillstream Loach in my 4 foot catfish tank and turnover is 10x tank volume (in theory, but probably much less in practice). The fish is ten years old so has been OK with this turnover long term.

However, I'm not sure you can call a 12 litre container an aquarium. It sounds far too small. Even my fry tank is 45 litres.

Are you sure it is 12 litres and not 12 gallons? It's a disgrace if you have been sold a 12 litre aquarium.

I would recommend starting with something 100 litres or more as it will then be possible to provide stable conditions for the animals and maybe keep them alive, which is difficult enough for beginners.

In my opinion a goldfish should be kept in nothing less than a 6 foot 90 uk gallon (like Clown Loaches they should be able to grow to full size and not be stunted in anything smaller).

Well done for finding out about how to keep fish responsibly. I hope you can rescue the situation. Either take the Loach back or get a better suited home for it would be my honest advice. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings by being frank but it strikes me you need someone to give it to you straight.

Best wishes.

I agree with all above. I am sorry you are in this situation. It has happened to almost every beginning fish keeper.

Do you have any friends with an established gentle community tank who could hold your hillstream until you sort out the cycling? Then read the article on here about fishless cycling.

Do 50% water changes in the meantime. I am sure your goldfish died from ammonia poisoning. Happens when a tank isn't established. Do you have a test kit, so you can monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? It is the only way you will know when your tank is cycled. What country do you live in?

I live in uk, my mam has about a 50 litre with a goldfish in it but would that have enough oxygen? I havent got a kit yet, which are good ones? I've changed 30 - 40 percent yesterday and the day before, the water is clearing up, what happens next? N yeah cheers for just telling me straight, I'd rather know! I was quite ignorant tbh