Loaches Online Forum

Hi,

I have 7 tanks, and I am in the process of stocking my 55-gallon. The tank is well cycled.

Before I have a major problem, I wanted to ask for opinions on how this group of fish would get along. This would be my "aggressive" tank, although I believe some of these fish are not aggressive. A few are territorial and 1 is a fish eater. As my fish grow, I save money to buy bigger tanks. These fish would include: 2 Banded Leporinus, 1 bichir, 2 tiger loaches and 3 skunk loaches. Descriptions below.

I need to know how these fish would do together. I have had all these fish over 6 months, and below is an explanation of how they behave. Each of their personal shelters will go with them to help their transition.

I want to move these fish to a tank together, because it is my largest tank, and I think these fish would appreciate a larger tank. My biggest concern is that the bichir would eat the other fish. She lives with the Banded Leoparinus now, so I know they are set. What I would like to know, is if you think the skunk and tiger loaches will hold their own against each other and the bichir. When they are bigger I will work on a better arrangement of fish with larger tanks.

2 Banded Leporinus 4" and 6". They are territorial. They will get very large, and they will get a very large tank in the future. They have their own shelters.

1 6" bichir. Not aggressive, but an active fish eater. Likes to live in a floating log.

3 Skunk loaches 2.5". I haven't had any problems with them. They chase each other. (They currently live with guppies, silver tip tetras, a couple mollies. No major problems. No ripped fins.)

2 Tiger Loaches 3". I do not know the exact species. They are faintly tinged with blue, vertical stripes and have a dark spot on the dorsal fin. Gorgeous. They are a bit territorial (Have claimed a bit of bogwood.) But no major aggression. They live with neon and cardinal tetras, harlequin rasboras, and rummy nose tetras. None of these fish show stress or ripped fins. The tigers do mock chases if anyone gets too close to their bogwood, but no major aggression. They come out to eat, but don’t show aggression eating.

I realize I have low aggression because my fish have not reached maturity. I did not realize the stocking numbers when I got the loaches, and I have never seen these species since.

I just don't want to wake up with fat bichir and no loaches. I am hoping the loaches are so fast the bichir wouldn't bother chasing them. I do feed her chopped fish, so she is well fed.

Thank you, Tanja.

starsplitter7 wrote:I want to move these fish to a tank together, because it is my largest tank, and I think these fish would appreciate a larger tank. My biggest concern is that the bichir would eat the other fish. She lives with the Banded Leoparinus now, so I know they are set. What I would like to know, is if you think the skunk and tiger loaches will hold their own against each other and the bichir. When they are bigger I will work on a better arrangement of fish with larger tanks.

Your tiger loaches can hold but not your skunk loaches. It is possible your bichir may choke to death if the sub-ocullar spines beneath each eye are raised.

1 6" bichir. Not aggressive, but an active fish eater. Likes to live in a floating log.

If he gets constantly harassed by your loaches, he will not like it. They may be ambush predators but they are generally peaceful not bothering tankmates too large for them to eat.

I just don't want to wake up with fat bichir and no loaches. I am hoping the loaches are so fast the bichir wouldn't bother chasing them. I do feed her chopped fish, so she is well fed.

Both are a problem to each other.

Both are a problem to each other.

Thanks Blue,
The bichir eating the skunks is my concern too. The bichir gets chased by the Banded Leporinus on occasion, and goes and sits in her log, and all is well. Everyone has their safe place.

The skunks and tigers really don't bother the fish in their tank, which include guppies, mollies and tetras.

Does anyone else have any opinions or solutions on this? Thanks, Tanja.

Don't bichirs like somewhat brackish water?

Rocco wrote:Don't bichirs like somewhat brackish water?

No, Rocco. While some of them do live in hard alkaline waters with almost brackish water conditions. There is no need to put them in brackish water conditions.

Rocco wrote:Don't bichirs like somewhat brackish water?

Everything I read says freshwater. I hope he's fresh water. He's been in freshwater. I think they are found in lakes and rivers in Africa. Species name is Polypterus senegalensis.

A fish that looks very similar and is a brackish water fish is the Violet (Dragon) Goby (Gobioides broussonneti).
They actaully come from Georgia and Florida all the way to Brazil.

Both the dinosaur bichir and the dragon gobies are widely available at almost every petstore in this area. A shame when you consider that the gobies are brackish and sold as freshwater, and the bichir is sold a semi-aggressive community tank fish. Very true. But no one tells you she will eat all your fish big enough to fit in her mouth. And mine isn't aggressive at all, just likes fish.