Loaches Online Forum

Heyas everyone,

Mikev reffered me here from TropicalFishForums. I'm just going to repost my questions from there. Any advice is appreciated!

First Post:

I found them @ my LFS this weekend and picked up two of the biggest ones. These guys are healthy and extremely active (for suckerbellys..lol), and of course cute. I've owned one before, he cost me a lot more @ a local pet store, and never moved. He lived a week So I had gone back to the pet store and bought another which didn't even survive the ride home! Well the ones I have now look great so I am hoping to enjoy them for a long time. Any tips for keeping them healthy? I haven't yet seen them eat, and after my last experience with them I want to do everything to make sure they do. If anyone owns them please let me know what you can about them. I know they like fast currents and need lots of air, so I put them in my 10 gallon with 2 air wands.



P.S. The pet store that I originally bought them from told me they were plecos. Later when I had researched them I told them what they really were and they argued with me. Grr @ them..lol. They charged me $8 dollars for unhealthy fish when my LFS charged me 3.40 for healthy ones.

2nd Post:

Thanks for the help. That site helped answer some questions. I'll definately have to turn down my temp a little. I may get a larger air pump as well. There seems to be enough oxygen in there, but the fish can't tell me for sure..lol. As for diet I hope to see mine eat soon.

I still have questions though, sorry to be a pain to everyone.

Also Would a power head be a good idea, do they make them for 10 gallons? How do the work? I know nothing about them really.

I would move the sucker bellys to the 55 where there is tons of water flow and oxygen but then I may never see them, or they may never find the food. Could suckerbelly do ok in there?

Hi Cooky_Luvs and welcome to LOL.
Seems it's Hillstream day today, which is cool by me!

You look to have Beaufortia kweichowensis there, although with the fuzzy pic I can't be sure.

To find out about the care and special requirements of these fish read:

http://www.loaches.com/hillstream_loaches.html

If the 55 will be OK for them would largely be dependant on what else is in there, plus the water movement requirements being met. Inactivity with these fish is usually a bad omen. It can indicate oxygen deprivation or illness. Given proper conditions they are quite active fish and will search out food no problem.

Martin.

Sorry about the fuzzy pic, my cameras not the best. Below is what lives in my 55. I just read that Sucker Bellys don't grow once taken from captivity. So the 55 would probably be inapproiate because of either the leporinus or Leopard Bush fish, the bush fish would definately eat them once they get larger, bush fish are nice but not towards things that fit in their mouths..lol

2 leporinus (1 fasciatus and 1 desmotes)
2 snakeskin gouramis
2 thick-lipped gouramis
1 banded gourami
2 Leopard Bush Fish
2 Clown Loaches
2 Yoyo Loaches
2 half-beaks
and 3 plecos (1 albino chocolate)

So I guess the 10 gallon would be best (where they are now). Is a powerhead a good idea?

I would try a powerhead. If you put it on one end front to back, they can get away from it if they want to. Meanwhile, if you haven't already, read the article, its great.