Vaillantella maassi up close and personal

Ashleigh · Post by **Ashleigh** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:56 pm

Managed to sneak a random shot of the latest and last arrivals until the student loan comes back in, but they are worth it

Graeme, I can see why you love these guys so much

Ashleigh

loachmom · Post by **loachmom** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:00 pm

Awww....I want some!

Thanks for sharing!!

Mad Duff · Post by **Mad Duff** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:25 pm

Lovely fish and great photo

Graeme Robson · Post by **Graeme Robson** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:19 pm

Superb image, Ashleigh! These sure are special Loaches. Which types of foods are yours accepting?

Here's one of my largest ones.

Ashleigh · Post by **Ashleigh** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:33 pm

Beautiful fish

I have only seen this one out since they went in the tank on Tue-they had a big journey back to Wales from London which Im sure they did not appreciate to much

No interest in dried foods-Hikari waffers, carnivore pellets or tetra pellets.
Only a slight nibble of white mosquito larvae, guess it will take some time for them to settle in.
Im in progress of setting a 5ft for these 4 fork tails, the Pangio sp I got from Emma's and the 3 Horse face loaches (intend to get this up to 5). You couldn't give me some pointers on how you have your setup for these guys? I want to get everything just right for them

I was planning on sand, bogwood, planted of some sort... the usual necessary filtration along with a couple of small aquaclear powerheads- does this sound ok?
Also just to check what foods I should be offering- wide range of frozens as well as some live as with all loaches and maybe eventually some pellet form will be accepted? As far as Im aware, pellet form was all they were being offered before I got them.

Ashleigh

Graeme Robson · Post by **Graeme Robson** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:51 pm

At first mine wouldn't go near or attempt to eat commercial preparations (flake/wafers/pellets). But now after a few years they do often have a nibble at them. What they will eat is a varied of insect larvae, crustaceans and detritus. Most liked is the good old frozen Bloodworm's (white and black) and Shrimp. Nothing seen, as in them eating vegetable matter.

Since mine have a favorite area under a piece of wood, i drop the food around that area and watch them basically "snap" out and eat some, then retreat just as fast. But in the evening or late at night i often see them out and about "sniffing" for food.

Your tank set up sounds good! Plenty sheltered area's with smooth substrate. Planted tank is also very welcomed by them. These chaps are Territorial with each other, so a 5 footer sounds great! Here's a few video's from my good friend Todd.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 1081918945

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 7230546169

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 2681525672

Ashleigh · Post by **Ashleigh** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:58 pm

Thanks for the advice!

Those are some beautiful loaches!!
I particularly like the last clip of the 'shoving match'

Have you tried any thing along the lines of small earthworms?
What about the flow rate in the tank, will two small powerheads be enough or would you recomend something larger??

Ashleigh

Graeme Robson · Post by **Graeme Robson** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:08 pm

I've never tried earthworms for many a years. It's quite possible they may take to them once cleaned out from the inside. Flow rates don't really matter in my experiences, mine have lived in both normal and river tank set ups.

Jim Powers · Post by **Jim Powers** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 4:48 pm

I just went looking for mine after seeing this thread and Graeme's cool videos only to discover one dead under a piece of driftwood.

The fish was 4.25 inches ( 11cm)long and looked perfectly healthy.
I have no idea why it died. Fortunately, the remaining one looks fine.
The dead fish is the one that I couldn't find some time ago because it had found a new hiding place beneath some cobbles.

gravybrain · Post by **gravybrain** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 7:31 pm

Hi Neil at Pier Aquatics has told me they are getting these fishes in soon
Where else has them in ?
Can anyone tell me the normal price for these fishes ?
Are they always Blue or is it their mood .
Will they like the same tank as my schisturas ?

Ashleigh · Post by **Ashleigh** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:07 am

I have already requested these loaches from Neil along with a few others the other week

I got mine from Wildwoods in London, full credit to the bf who rung around trying to get them. Wildwoods and Pier aquatics seem to have a nice selection of loaches along side other fish in at the moment

Ashleigh

Ashleigh · Post by **Ashleigh** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:16 am

Oh and they were being sold for £26.99 each or £65 for 3.

Ashleigh

Graeme Robson · Post by **Graeme Robson** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:15 am

Sorry to hear of this Jim

Any clues as of why?

I remember paying £40 each a few years ago! Grrrr.....

The uniform colour of Vaillantella maassi is generally dark brown to black. The specimen in my pictures seem to show a blue tinge with the camera, but he does carry a black/bottle blue tinge with him.

Which species of Schistura are we talking about, gravybrain?

LoachOrgy · Post by **LoachOrgy** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:19 am

really nice shots!

Jim Powers · Post by **Jim Powers** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:38 am

I have no idea why this fish died. There was no discoloration, wounds, swelling or blood streaks on the body.
I had the fish for a little over two years and it was about 3.5 inches when I got it. Maybe it just died of old age?
This will be next to impossible to replace.

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