Loaches Online Forum

I have 3 burmese loaches,2 gold barbs, 7 cardinal tetra, a betta and a wood shrimp in my tank. I did a water change and the wood shrimp is dead the next day after I came back from work. I first thought maybe because of the water change but then half of the shrimp's body is out of its shell as you can see from the picture. It makes me think that maybe he/she was attacked? This is just sad they've been living in the same tank for many months and now this. I often see them sharing the same cave too...


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There are many people on this forum that say that loaches can be kept with shrimp of various types. I would disagree, I feed ghost shrimp to my loaches, and all of them dig in. I think pretty much any loach if hungry would attempt any shrimp smaller than itself.

But these loaches on the picture are not Burmese Loach (Botia dario). They are rather Polka-Dot Loach or Botia kubotai.

Blue wrote:But these loaches on the picture are not Burmese Loach (Botia dario). They are rather Polka-Dot Loach or Botia kubotai.

This is the problem with "trade" names Blue. Botia kubotai are often called "Burmese Border Loaches" in shops. Considering that the country is now actually called Myanmar I don't know why that is.

Wood shrimps are extremely vulnerable when they moult their shells. The soft body is liable to attack.

Martin.

Martin Thoene wrote:This is the problem with "trade" names Blue. Botia kubotai are often called "Burmese Border Loaches" in shops. Considering that the country is now actually called Myanmar I don't know why that is.

I didn't realize another name similar to the Botia dario's would stick to the kubs. Thanks, Martin.

I lost two of my bamboo shrimps (2" big) to the 3 clown loaches (2" big).

Shrimps moult their shells every few weeks. At that time, they are just sfot meats for the loaches. They just can't pass away the easy meals. Sometimes the shrimps will be able to hide when they moulting. It may take a few months before the loaches can get all the shrimps but for sure the shrimp will be gone soon or later.

YellowFinned wrote:There are many people on this forum that say that loaches can be kept with shrimp of various types. I would disagree, I feed ghost shrimp to my loaches, and all of them dig in. I think pretty much any loach if hungry would attempt any shrimp smaller than itself.

I'm one of those people I'm afraid. I don't think ghost shrimp would last long with my yoyo's, but shrimp the same size as the fish don't appear to have any trouble. I've also kept japonica shrimp with yoyo's and haven't lost a single one in two years, even youngsters. Same goes for zebra's. I dunno, I maybe just feed them too much

my clowns tear up any fish under 1". and they have a big taste for zebra danios!

How big are your clowns?

LoachOrgy wrote:my clowns tear up any fish under 1". and they have a big taste for zebra danios!

How do they do that? They chase fish or what? I cant imagine small clown doing anything to a fish. Not even 6 inches big...

Ded1 wrote:I cant imagine small clown doing anything to a fish. Not even 6 inches big...

They can.

A couple of years ago, my Alpha, then about 2.5", killed a 2" Barb. The barb kind of deserved it, he was attacking the shoal. While I did not see the murder itself, the body had multiple large cuts on the belly.

mikev wrote:

Ded1 wrote:I cant imagine small clown doing anything to a fish. Not even 6 inches big...

They can.

A couple of years ago, my Alpha, then about 2.5", killed a 2" Barb. The barb kind of deserved it, he was attacking the shoal. While I did not see the murder itself, the body had multiple large cuts on the belly.

So its kinda a selfdefence "murder"

Today, I bought a bamboo shrimp. He's over 2 1/2" long. Please tell me that my 4" clown loaches will not hurt him.

sorry i cant tell you that.

Keeping shrimp with loaches depends on the loach species in question. Some are relatively small and peaceful, and others are complete terrors not to be trusted. Those feisty loach species, or indeed any which are regularly fed prawns, krill, Mysis and the like will have a taste for shrimp and should not be kept together with them.

In my long experience with clown loaches, they are gentle giants and will not harm smaller fish. They are often wrongly blamed for the murder of another fish when they are caught scavenging on the already dead body.

Emma