Loaches Online Forum

Today at the market there were lots of local loaches, the usual red finned Modestas and lots of Khulis.

But of interest were:

Two six inch skunks. Beautiful spotted yellow tails. The species index says they get four inches, well these were six!

An eight inch tiger, probably Berdmorei, but with bright yellow fins.

A few two inch Schisturas. Grayish stripy bodies and tails varying from brown to red.

I fancied them all, but didn’t get them. Not sure what tank I would put them in. Would I have a problem with a couple of skunks in with the clowns in the big tank? Is a single tiger going to be a problem? Well next time, they might not be there anyway.

I once knew of a 125 gallon tank with about 6 large clowns (5 to 8 inch) with a huge mix of other mature loaches (skunks, yoyos, mods, kubs, eos, robusta, horseface, striata, dario). All in all a huge collection of loaches. All in with 7 inch tiger.
It was a tank of war!
The school of clowns were scratched up and pacing up and down the glass stressed.
The yoyos were always kicked out of hidie holes and one a good 5-6 inches had its top fin ripped off.
The striata were scratched up.
No sign of the tiger, eos, mods, robusta and horseface.
This tank had a ton of places to hide.
The skunks would only appear to chase others.
the guy was a fish breeder and got the whole lot and the tank for a great deal/steal. I think he agreed to take the whole thing if he kept the locaches. He did mostly. I took some sids, dario off him that were in another tank.
About 1 year later I got the remaining loaches he had--
skunks, eos, one clown, horseface, robusta, yoyo, striata.
I am not sure what happened to some of the fish but I think he sold the remaining that survived.
I don't know if having a 8 inch tiger in with clowns is a good idea.
It wasn't in this tank.
But as always YMMV.