Loaches Online Forum

I'm setting up a 55g, and can't decide between sidthimunki or kubotai.

Other residents would be:

5 White Skirt Tetras (being moved from 20g)
10ish Ocelot Danios (or similar)
a few Otos (how many do you think?)
2 SAE's (or 3 if you all say so)
Tons of plants (already in there w/ CO2)
EcoComplete substrate
a couple of pesky snails


I don't want the tank overrun with fish, so all these numbers are flexible - except for the 5 tetras because I already own them.

So anyway, I'm most excited about the loaches. I was really sad to have to give up my Yoyo from the 20g (that's what brought me to LOL in the first place), and I'm thilled to have a tank now where I can have botias.

I had my heart set on Kubotais, and have been lusting after them in the shops, but then I saw the little sidthimunkis, and now I just can't decide! I only want to get one or the other so that I can get a lot of them.

So I'm here to hear your thoughts on the two, and how many you think I should/could have of each in a 55g, and I also want to hear all of you say how wonderful they are and how worth the money they are, because I'm having a hard time justifying the cost! Particularly since I want a whole bunch.

Lastly, I'm interested to hear thoughts on ordering fish online. Does it end up being cheaper? How hard is it on the fish? Have any suggestions for good companies to buy from?

Thanks everyone!

Because of the size difference you can have more Sid's than Kubotai but in a 55 thats not really an issue, I can certainly recommend the Sid's and the more you get the better they look, as for price, they are expensive but when you have a good sized group of decent sized Sid's believe me you wont wonder if the outlay was worth you will know it was.

The only thing about the Sid's over the Kubotai's is the fact that the Sid's can be very feisty towards other fish, I have found that they can be particularly feisty towards certain bottom dwelling fish like Cory's, Otto's and Bristlenoses etc, whereas I have never had a problem mixing Kubotai's with any of them.

Saying all that a nice group of Kubotai's is also a wonderful sight and you then have the option of keeping 3 or 4 of them and even adding a similar sized group of Almorhae or Rostrata.

I don't think I have really been any help at all there

If you like activity, then Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki will supply this more than the Botia kubotai.

I didn't think anyone would mess with an Oto! Other than Otos the botias will be the only bottom dwelling fish. My tetras are kind of slow moving, but pretty feisty themselves, so I think they could hold their own. Hmmm.... I'm really not much closer to making a decision (maybe leaning a bit towards Kubotai because of the otos) - but thanks guys - knowing a little bit about the personality differences between the two does help - and mostly I just wanted to make sure there weren't any red flags in my plans.

I have some Sidthimunki's

they are great ! If you are looking at keeping the snails down these guys are great.

They only grow up to about 7cm, they are shoalling fish was advised by the pet shop to get at least 3.

I would reccomend but I am biased