Loaches and shrimp.

[alphaneko]

Hi All, my first post here.

I was wondering, has anyone successfully kept loaches and red cherry or amano shrimp in the same tank before?
I'm in the process of planting my 46g tank now, and I'm still pondering what I should stock it with. Right now I have amano's and red cherry with otto's and an SAE in there as algae control.
I really wanted clowns and kuhli's but I'm concerned they'll harrass the shrimp, even if the tank is heavily planted.

Is my concern justified?
Thanks.

[Emma Turner]

Hi alphaneko, and welcome to Loaches Online.

Clown loaches will require a larger tank than 46 gallons when adult, plus larger clown specimens will eat shrimps.
I believe that many people have had success in keeping amano shrimp with small peaceful Botia species, such as B. striata though.

Emma

[angelfish83]

Amano shrimp, especially females, get up to a size where their being eaten isn't too likely. I had polkadot loaches with several large amano shrimp and no problem.

I have no doubt that if a shrimp moulted in the open or was discovered in a weak state by a loach that the loach would try to eat it...

[alphaneko]

Thanks for the info.
One of my red cherry shrimps just molted and surpisingly enough the SAE harrassed and killed it! Maybe it thought the shrimp was red algae or something..

I think I've changed my mind and I'm now considering rosy loaches instead. I want to keep with my theme of having every fish/invert in the tank small in size, while planting large plants to make the tank look much bigger than it is.
I also don't think rosy's will be able to eat the amano's and it might have a hard time getting through the tangled java moss that the cherry's live in, so that's a plus.
Dunno what water conditions they need though, if someone can enlighten me?

Oh and another question is, does anyone in the states sell/ship rosy loaches? I know they're new and rare, I'm just hoping someone already has access to them here..
Thanks again.