Loaches Online Forum

I was talking to a gentleman at my local aquarium about different Botias, and he mentioned that he had put a few modestas into a 200 gallon custom made tank with a few clowns that he has, and it was nothing but trouble.

He stated that the modestas nipped at the clowns, leaving marks on their top fins, and eventually he had to give them away.

Is this common? Any other loaches that modestas actually do get along with without problems?

I thought you were going to be asking if keeping modestas with Clowns was a good idea. I would have said definitely not.

But you're aware of this because of this other person's experience.

Modesta need to be kept with other similarly boisterous species such as Syncrossus species and other Yasuhikotakia species.

Martin.

Well, I was aware of one person's experience - but I wasn't sure if this was the norm - based on your comments I'll say that's a yes!

Thank you!

Earlier this year I re-homed a couple of Clowns and the person gave me a lone Modesta as well, I didn't really want the Modesta but she said she would flush it if I didn't take it . Everything was ok for a few weeks and then the marks started turning up on the Clowns, I finally managed to find someone locally who had a group of Modestas and re-homed it and it is now in Graeme's Grrr tank.

I don't know why but my Clowns don't seem happy with any other Loaches, all my other tanks have mixed loach populations but the clowns have a tank to themselves as they just don't seem happy with any other Loach present.

I've personally never bought any modestas, for the petty reason that I simply don't like their long snouts.

I have others in with my clowns though - 3 Botia kubotai, and two yo-yo's , and recently put a lone skunk that I had left from an ich incident several months ago and his 'best friend' , one lone red tailed shark. I've never had any problems with any of these getting along, however the skunk does like th chase off the clowns when they come hear his hiding spot, but nothing to the extent of nipping at them.

JWhipple wrote:I've personally never bought any modestas, for the petty reason that I simply don't like their long snouts.

Y Modesta with a long snout The Syncrossus species certainly carry this, but Y Modesta's certainly don't.

longer than the others that I mentioned...

You've lost me there.....

Anyways, it's your personal preference.