I've been bad, impulse loach buy..

[saphphx]

Well I got two, they were marked as b... something loaches... Brunio? Something like that. They're from the hillstream group, but I can't find which one. They are quite dark with light specks and blue tails and and dorsals. Will get some pics later but I've spoofed and didn't have a tank so had to sort one out, then decided I wanted a betta... so anyway, I have two of them in one of those fish r fun things with the beta, will be moving them somewhere else though as I know they like the stream/river sort of flow. Anyway, any ideas about what they are based on my really bad description? lol

[Emma Turner]

Were they labelled as Borneo Suckers? They need to be in a high O2 environment ASAP.

Emma

[saphphx]

Were they labelled as Borneo Suckers? They need to be in a high O2 environment ASAP.

Crap. That sounds like them. I have this feeling I've screwed up again lol. Should I take them back and see about something else?

[saphphx]

I have a Fluval 4 in a 3 foot tank that kicks out like a beast, would they be ok in there? I think the temp may be to high for them at what I'm reading at the moment.

[Jim Powers]

Is this the fish you are talking about?
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ga ... nocephalus

I hate to say, but this is probably one of the worst fish to buy on an impulse. They need high flow, high O2 and cooler temps. If you can't provide that, you should probably take them back or better yet, set up a tank specifically for them. You'll find that once you do, you will be hooked on these interesting fish.

[saphphx]

Is this the fish you are talking about?
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ga ... nocephalus

I hate to say, but this is probably one of the worse fish to buy on an impulse. They need high flow, high O2 and cooler temps. If you can't provide that, you should probably take them back or better yet, set up a tank specifically for them. You'll find that once you do, you will be hooked on these interesting fish.

crap. That's them.. I've had this thing before but without the blue, he was in a gold fish tank and made a jump for it.... -sigh-

Well, I've stressed out, re-did my cooler tank (around 24 or so for panda corys) and made a fast current area and a still area:


I know the filter is too big and slings endlers about for fun, which they subject themselves to, as do the albino corys, so I had it turned down and pointed at the glass to leave the rest of the tank still. What I did was cranked it up, put the fake plants back in and some slate (my lighting isn't done as there will be shelving where that tank is so plants don't survive, algea does, stupid pet shop dude said they are "fine for any comunity tank, you treat them just like a plec" this dude is normally spot on for fish, so I'm a bit miffed as this is the first time I've not gone home and double checked as he has ALWAYS been right before...grr.)

From the side


From the top


Whole Tank


Tank from top

Last but not least, the fish:


Getting settled and acclimatized


Prob the best pic of a fish in a jug I have ever taken...


Chucked in and stuck on, they've been mooching about trying to avoid slinging bronze corys as they play on the slate slide.

The way I did it, there is high current on one side around the slate, but the rest of the tank is dead calm and even has fry bopping about. Think they will be happy like this? Everyone else seems cool with the changes, and I can probably lower the temp a bit and keep the pandas happy and move the albinos elsewhere.

Ideas? I can't take them back now as the shop closed some time ago, but they can go back in the morning if this wont do. I've put on freecycle for some powerheads and things, as I do have a little one foot tank that I can re-seal and set up for just them (if I can find silicon sealant in this fricken town. NO one sells PURE silicon! Can you believe that?? geh. Anyone want to post me a tube? LMAO!)

-hopes the fishies will like, they're hard to catch- LMAO!

[saphphx]

by the way, the heater isn't set at 79 anymore, its been at 75-74 for ages, I just haven't changed the tape.

Sorry about the mucky glass, not bothered cleaning the outsides this month as I've been ill and the fish seem to like not seeing me LOL!!

[Emma Turner]

Saph,

If it's too late in the day to return these hillstream loaches to the shop (it's nearly 8pm here after all) you'll have to try and do your best for them tonight and decide whether you can house them properly as a permanent addition to your collection in the correct conditions. If you haven't done so, have a read through this article which explains how best to keep these fish: http://www.loaches.com/articles/hillstr ... -fast-lane

Make sure you have the filter on maximum output at the water's surface (dropping the water level by an inch will help incorporate more O2 into the water as it is returned to the tank) and angle any powerheads you have towards the water's surface to create surface agitation, which will up O2 levels.

Good luck,

Emma

[Emma Turner]

Hi again Saph,

I was writing at the same time as you were posting, so didn't see your pics until I'd finished.

I think that set up will be fine until you sort out a proper more permanent environment for them (it needs to be bigger than the one foot tank you mentioned, btw). No doubt the tank they are now in is probably providing them with more water movement than the store was anyway.

Keep us informed with how they get on,

Emma

[saphphx]

Hi again Saph,

I was writing at the same time as you were posting, so didn't see your pics until I'd finished.

I think that set up will be fine until you sort out a proper more permanent environment for them (it needs to be bigger than the one foot tank you mentioned, btw). No doubt the tank they are now in is probably providing them with more water movement than the store was anyway.

Keep us informed with how they get on,

No worries.

I'm torn. I really like them, but I really don't have the space and money to set up anything else for them until the rest of the fish room is done, but I don't want to take them back as there wasn't any water flow in the tank they were in at the shop. Its a shame I don't have any other fast water fish or they wouldn't just be happy in the tank as I have it, though i've added more air lines and trying to dig out my spare filter. I just don't think I can manage at the moment but don't want to take them back and have them sold on to someone who wont look up the info and end up killing them.

Bleh. I guess I really should just take them back over all should't I?

[saphphx]

if I do decide to keep them, how about a 2 foot tank for just the two? what else could I keep with them? I have some clown loaches in a 2 foot til they are big ebough for the large tank, or I can shift everyone around and probably get them in the 3 foot tank, but I hate to loose my large tank where I can have my endlers breed as breeding corys and enders is really what I do, these dudes were supposed to help algea issues.

I'm very confused about the whole thing. I really really like them, and if I could make it work for them in a 2 foot or so tank I could probably swing it. Get some powerheads to work with the filters and things.

I wish I double checked this time, the one time I don't double check I love the fish but find I don't really have a lot of space..

Though, if I move them to my cracked 2 foot that I can only fill half full where I can put a big filter in it for some kick out then try to get some powerheads off ebay or free cycle. I don't know, I love the little guys, but the 3 foot is really for my endlers and things. Once the pacu are gone I'll have a 4 foot and 3.5 foot free, but it could be months. Could they be ok in the 2 foot with massive filter run for a few months?

[saphphx]

Right. I want to keep them. Been up all night trying to sort it out. Will have to leave them where they are for now if I can and sort things over the next few days. They have the pump on full and 3 airlines into the tank. Oddly, I have only seen them in the current twice, they've been bopping all over the tank, mostly in the calmer water. Do I have the pump on to high or are they just happy chappys? Its not to late to take them back if they can't stay in the above tank for a while as I try to sort other things out. Just tried phoning the fish shop and no one is answering. I'm sure there open today, probably just busy.

What do I do? lol. I really want them, I fould a few different filters I can take apart and turn into powerheads until I can get proper ones, so can do that and the fluval 4 in a smaller tank for now or leave them where they are while I do a proper river tank?

[LES..]

Hi Saphphx,

Welcome to the club of buying hillies on impulse and then battling to sort out your mistakes. I am completely guilty of this myself and started off keeping Pseudogastromyzon cheni in a 2 foot tank with gold fish. Not the best way to home them.

If you are looking to keep these fish in a 2' tank i would not worry too much about a manifold, there will not be enough space to allow the water to flow well and you will just end up with a lot of turbulence. I ended up getting a massively over-rated power head hooked up to the under gravel and directed the jet of water towards the glass and down one of the long sides of the tank. This gives the hillies their high flow environment and somewhere they can sucker onto to enjoy it. The downside to this is that they are very difficult to feed in this set-up, I have been lucky with my Pseudogastromyzon cheni as they seem happy enough to swim around all over the tank to find food. They will not get big so 2 in a 2' tank will look empty. There are lots of threads on dithers for hillstream loaches, Danios seem very popular as do White cloud mountain minnows, I can't comment as Susan and I can't agree on the dithers so we don't have any.

Of course i would not consider the above to be advice, it is just personal experience and luck. Please do think about setting up a dedicated tank for these guys but you don't have to get it done instantly. Take your time, plan this one out and you will be immensely rewarded by seeing these lovely fish in action.

Congratulations on being assimilated.
LES..

[saphphx]

Congratulations on being assimilated.

LMAO I don't feel so alone now, thanks

Have thought, they can have a 4 foot tank in a few months when its clear, and I can set it up properly as a river tank as I am DIY Queen (Roar lol) and at the moment they seem quite chuffed with the tank they are in and come cucumber. Have been studying and playing with the 4 footer today (to the dismay of my oscar, but he hates me anyway) and have found with the kick out of three fluval 4s and enough wiggling, I can get the bottom to be a seriously fast flow water land, and get the top dead calm and smooth. Setting it up with something like in the article with powerheads at the top and intakes at the bottom would be even better, and is probably what I will do. Then I can leave the top half smooth and still bang in some endlers or leave it all current-y and get.... more loaches

They seem happy at the moment, so I think I have some time before they get bigger and want more current to blow themselves about. Oddly they seem to be sticking to the still parts of the tank, so I've added some more airlines, but I think they are just sucking up the uneaten blood worms from last nights tea Waiting to see what some of the others think of my grand plans. If all else fails I can either take them back or jury rig something with more power until I can do the river tank, but I picked these two out of about 30 of them (and made the poor dude catch THOSE two ) so I really don't want to give them up.

[loachmom]

I've so enjoyed reading through this whole thread. Saphphx, your sense of humor kept me smiling through all of it. I really hope you get to keep your new loaches.