Loaches Online Forum

my LFS has some that are decent sized, about 3", for 5.99$. what are the temperaments of these? do they get along with others or are they generally like the asshole skunks

Unfortunately, they do carry aggression. These loaches like to have their own territory's within the aquarium. Here's one of mine.

Sorry for a dumb question: these look like schisturas, not striatas (zebras) to me. Is "redtail zebra" a common trade name for some schistura sp.? But 3"? -- what is the exact species? (I have a few similar ones, but they seem to max out at about 2 1/4...)

i think they are known as Schistura mahnerti..

avant wrote:i think they are known as Schistura mahnerti..

Mostly accurate Fishbase.Org gives max size (not average adult size) of 6.4cm for mahnerti and 5.9cm for poculi, which is the other possibility. Either Fishbase is wrong, or there is another sp.

(This is not the first time I hear about this loach being 3" or larger...)

Anyway, may be the profile I did for poculi for another site,
Schist. Poculi would be of some use. I'll fix a couple of obvious deficiencies (:oops:) later. Poculi and Manherti are very similar, with aggression apparently being the Manherti problem...I see a little of territorial behavior with Poculi but nothing more aggressive than some quick chases once in a while.

Since when did Botia striata have red tail fins?


Ahh! I see you corrected your comment.

Graeme Robson wrote:Since when did Botia striata have red tail fins?

I'm having fun time figuring out the list of loaches that my lfs can order. Not for myself, I'm out of space until one more tank, but to tell him what makes sense to try. Among other entries, it has "Zebra", "Zebra Tiger", and "Zebra Redtail"... and a few more mysterious names. And these trade names are a massive mess... "Polka-dot" almost certainly means another schistura. Does "Indian loach" mean Dario? What is "the Checker Board Sand" thing? etc. etc.....

I understand your point. I think over the years i've herd them all and wasn't considering other peoples views or knowledge.

Graeme Robson wrote:Unfortunately, they do carry aggression. These loaches like to have their own territory's within the aquarium. Here's one of mine.

thats a nice looking one. can you tell me details of your tank? size, other inhabitants, etc.

Certainly!

Tank: 40gals
Temperture: 77/25
Fish: Schistura mahnerti. Schistura waltoni. Nemacheilus pallidus. Yasuhikotakia Sidthimunki. Yasuhikotakia Nigrolineata. Tanichthys albonubes. Rasbora espei.

Like all of my tanks, i keep them in with sand/wood and Java fern plants. A Simple tank set-up.


Graeme.

do you know the common names of those fish? or are you gonna make me google each one =\

let me ask you if you think mine will have "getting along" problems- i have 4 pakistani loaches, 3 clowns, bristlenose, couple SAE's, 1 red tailed black shark, 5 baby tiger barbs. 55g planted.

maybe i have too many fish

I have two redtailed zebra loaches from the same tank and same shipment at the lfs and they were different species. One is most likely Schistura sexcauda and the other is probably S. similis (check my other thread for a pic of this one). I also saw at another lfs some S. mahnerti and 1 or 2 unidentified Schistura species in the same tank all listed under red tailed zebra loach. Sizes have ranged from about 2 inches to nearly 4. It appears that red tailed zebra loach is the common name used for any of the striped Schisturas.
Mine are currently the only inhabitants in a 50g tank with a HOB and a powerhead on a sponge filter for filtration. I have small gravel substrate with lots of rocks, large pieces of driftwood, and some terra cotta pots as decoration. I am trying to find some more that are about the same size (mine are about 2in) to add to the group.

Be warned. These little guys can be downright nasty. NOT community fish.
Erik

man i really wanted these guys, but i cant handle the drama of mean fish. oh well i guess ill wait till the shop gets other ones in. i really wish they could get more sidthimunki's, i only have 1 that i found. anyways, thanks for the replies and input everyone.

mikev wrote:

avant wrote:i think they are known as Schistura mahnerti..

Mostly accurate Fishbase.Org gives max size (not average adult size) of 6.4cm for mahnerti and 5.9cm for poculi, which is the other possibility. Either Fishbase is wrong, or there is another sp.

(This is not the first time I hear about this loach being 3" or larger...)

Anyway, may be the profile I did for poculi for another site,
Schist. Poculi would be of some use. I'll fix a couple of obvious deficiencies (:oops:) later. Poculi and Manherti are very similar, with aggression apparently being the Manherti problem...I see a little of territorial behavior with Poculi but nothing more aggressive than some quick chases once in a while.

I just saw the link that you put up. Both certainly bear strong resemblance to each other. I guess we need more obvious physical differentiations to ID them apart.