Looking for the "Right One?" (50 gallon community)

[Joemid]

Hello Everyone:

I am very new to this forum and very new to the world of non-cichlids. Having dabbled extensively in cichlids for the last 18 of my 20 or so years of cichlids I am very satisfied that there is indeed life after Cichidae!

Lately, I have focused my efforts on a single, 50-gallon planted community featuring Danio choprae, Rasbora einthovenii, and perhaps one of my favorite fishes of all, Tanichthys albonubes.

I also have a few other fish including my "pet," an 11-year old Synodontis angelicus (his name is "Ione"). Therein lies some potential trouble. I want to get a few loaches -- enough of a species to keep the fish happy -- to enjoy and also to keep snails down (the tank has gained a population of ramshorns). I have been looking at either striata or sidthmunki, but would fear that the later would not be robust enough to handle the presence of the territorial S. angelicus. Ione used to be a rough snail eater in his prime but has grown increasingly picky in his later years.

So the question is this -- what would you suggest as a peaceful, spunky, snail-eating loach for this tank? A smaller size would be preferable as the tank is very near what I deem to be its limit for stocking fish (I like to have an uncrowded aquarium).

Thank you,

Joe Middleton,
Portland, OR, USA

P.S: here is a photo of the tank from approximately three weeks ago, for your reference -- http://static.flickr.com/109/281930761_1bec98d03b_o.jpg

[sophie]

striata.
you might also be ok with yoyos, but that's a "might", I think, not a definite..

[Joemid]

striata.
you might also be ok with yoyos, but that's a "might", I think, not a definite..

Thank you Sophie. What's your experience with sidthmunki?

[sophie]

I've never kept sids, I'm afraid; they're lovely fish but I don;t know a great deal about them - like whether or not they eat snails

by the way, evangelical as I am about white clouds, your temperature is going to be a little on the high side for them, isn't it?

[mikev]

Zippers is another option.

They are smaller than even striata and are very efficient with snails.

Possible extra advantage: zippers would prefer cooler temperature which is also better for Danios and White Clouds, and should be ok for Rasboras.

[Joemid]

I've never kept sids, I'm afraid; they're lovely fish but I don;t know a great deal about them - like whether or not they eat snails

by the way, evangelical as I am about white clouds, your temperature is going to be a little on the high side for them, isn't it?

I have the tank at about 72-74 degrees. I have kept and bred them at the temp before, they seem fine. Will the loaches need to be warmer?

[Joemid]

Zippers is another option.

They are smaller than even striata and are very efficient with snails.

Possible extra advantage: zippers would prefer cooler temperature which is also better for Danios and White Clouds, and should be ok for Rasboras.

Is that the Noemachielus botia?

Thanks again!

[mikev]

Zippers is another option.

They are smaller than even striata and are very efficient with snails.

Possible extra advantage: zippers would prefer cooler temperature which is also better for Danios and White Clouds, and should be ok for Rasboras.

Is that the Noemachielus botia?

Thanks again!

This is one of the old names, now it is called Acanthocobitis botia. 72F-74F would be perfect for Zippers, and too cold for B.Striata. Zippers would like some current (which is also good for your Danios/WCMM's) and more air than usual (again good for your dither too).
You can see some pix of mine here.

hth


PS. In fact, with 72F-74F and your dither, perhaps you can put more than one brookstream or even some hillstream loach species...for more fun.