First post here! I'm a loach fan!

[dekstr]

Hey loaches online members,

First post here!

I started planted tanks in September with a 20g, and last month I upgraded to a 55g.

Bored the personalities of just rummynose tetras, cories, otos and cherry shrimps in my tank, I began on a hunt for a nice friendly big fish.


Then the other day while getting more pygmy cories in one of Toronto's better local fish stores (taking the store's 7 remaining pygmies), I chanced upon a nice selection of loaches! I don't remember exactly, but there was the zebra, kubotai, pygmy chain, and "Pakistan" loach. I was piqued on this loach fish. What is its behaviour? Is it friendly? How big do they grow? Do they need companions?

Being responsible rather than impulsive, I decided to go home and do the research. Needless to say, I was sold on loaches after reading excellent information about loaches from multiple online sources, particularly here!

So today, after finishing the last of the finals, I went back to the fish store (dragging friend with me)! I was determined to get them before they were sold to other people!

The result? I got me some botia kubotais! 5 of 'em. 5.99 Canadian each. Took every remaining one from the store.

I'm still new to loaches, but I'm very excited to keep them for the first time! I am relatively experienced with fishkeeping, so I hope the kubotais thrive in the tank.

I'll take some pictures soon.

In the meantime, some questions:
I read that loaches need a high oxygen environment, and above normal water movement in the tank.

Right now, I run an Eheim 2215 with a spraybar, and an Aquaclear Powerhead 20 (for CO2 diffusion). Is this enough water movement for the loach? I'm also worried about the oxygen concentration in the water. I read the article on oxygen here, and am wondering if I add an air tube to the powerhead, will it help?

I'm open to all comments / suggestions / criticisms! Plans for a few more kubotais coming soon!

Thanks,
dekstr

[starsplitter7]

Welcome to the happy world of Loach keeping!

The result? I got me some botia kubotais! 5 of 'em. 5.99 Canadian each. Took every remaining one from the store.

I am so jealous! B. kutotais are between $17-24 here.

I'll leave the experts to answer your questions. Tanja

[Tinman]

Hello. Welcome
Your powerhead should be above the surface some throwing water across your tank surface for best results. Air will not be neccesary then but an additional powerhead below the water for them to surf in will be benificial. I use a Fluval4 for surface aggitation with an additional head lower with fish protectionon the intake for current and a cannister similar to yours on my 55's here

[dekstr]

Wow that's really expensive!

I wonder why though. They're all imported right?

I know loaches run about $10-20 canadian in most other stores. It just so happened that the store I went to http://www.menageriepetshop.com sold them all between $5-7. I was surprised they didn't sell like hot cakes.

One reason: I noticed most non-beginner fish hobbyist in Toronto are obsessed with cichlids. All kinds of cichlids. Discus, african, south american, angelfish, apistos...etc. breeders all over Toronto and the surrounding area.

[dekstr]

Hello. Welcome
Your powerhead should be above the surface some throwing water across your tank surface for best results. Air will not be neccesary then but an additional powerhead below the water for them to surf in will be benificial. I use a Fluval4 for surface aggitation with an additional head lower with fish protectionon the intake for current and a cannister similar to yours on my 55's here

Ooh alright thanks!

So powerhead goes on water level, so air is mixing around with surface water, and then additional powerhead on the bottom for "surf"? The top powerhead won't disrupt plants, and the bottom powerhead, if placed near the front won't flow away carpeting plants.


I'm switching to non-CO2 very soon in a few weeks after the DIY yeast bottles run out.

[Tinman]

So powerhead goes on water level, so air is mixing around with surface water, and then additional powerhead on the bottom for "surf"? The top powerhead won't disrupt plants, and the bottom powerhead, if placed near the front won't flow away carpeting plants.

Exactly

[palaeodave]

Welcome to loach-keeping. Soon you'll want several more tanks (all of them enormous) to house every single type of loach you hear about! Well, that's my problem anyway!

[Mark in Vancouver]

Welcome to LOL, dekstr.

[bslindgren]

Welcome to LOL. You picked a winner. Botia kubotai is a wonderful fish, and you have a good number. The 55 gal should be fine for them. I have moderate water movement for mine, and they seem quite content with that. I admire your ability to resist temptation and doing the right thing! Congratulations on a fine purchase - I hope they all do well for you - mine have been very easy to acclimate so I see no reason why you should have any problems.

[dekstr]

Thanks for the comments!

Yeah they've acclimated really well--already swimming around the tank after a couple of hours!

The funniest thing so far is that sometimes they try to follow the pygmy cories around as if the 1/2" fishes were some alpha dominant fish.

I'm going to order a custom 48" x 11.5" x 12" tank, 26 gallons! I'm planning to put some new loaches in there as well! Lots of plants and maybe try some new aquascaping and biotope!

[helen nightingale]

welcome along

Soon you'll want several more tanks (all of them enormous) to house every single type of loach you hear about! Well, that's my problem anyway!

i agree with Dave. it happens to too many of us

[Marcos Mataratzis]

Hi dekstr,

Welcome to LOL!

I chanced upon a nice selection of loaches! I don't remember exactly, but there was the zebra, kubotai, pygmy chain, and "Pakistan" loach. I was piqued on this loach fish. What is its behaviour? Is it friendly? How big do they grow? Do they need companions?

Take a look on the link bellow. There you will find most answers to your questions.

http://www.loaches.com/

Welcome aboard!

[barbara]

i think you will love the kubotai. they are active although perhaps at first you will find them shy. perhaps. : ) when i moved mine recently (into a tank with 5 medium large clowns) they were not too active but after awhile (days or a couple of weeks i guess) they are out and about whenever i look and the loaches are "out"....sometimes they hang out in the caves but if they hear me around (vibrations i'm guessing from my walking around) they come out. after all "I" am FOOD.

to me what you have with the spray bar and so on is fine but i'm no expert. it's just about what i have with mine and recently my eheim failed by leaking and a new gasket didn't cure the problem so they've had only the outflow from a HOB magnum and an aquaclear 500 for agitation...oh, well there's bubbles from a couple of sponge filters and additional water movement below the surface by a couple of other small internal filters and a UV outflow that's probably strong. sheesh....i forgot about all those when i first started writing. anyway, basically i don't find the kubotai to be shy at all and sometimes i think they are a bit aggressive or maybe that's just intense play! welcome to the world of loaches....i left all my tropicals behind after starting to keep loaches...just them and my s. petricolas and a couple of s. eupterus now.

cheers,
barbara