Split modestas

[raving_wayne]

hiya folks i have noticed that my modestas dont seem to want to all hang together i have 6 in my main tank but only 3 seem to be hanging out together. i got 3 at one time and the other 3 were bought from different places at different times, the only ones that seem to hang together are the 3 i bought together, is there anythign i can do to help them to start to hang together? or is it just a case of waiting for them to build up a community so to speak?

Rave

[raecarrow]

Could it be that you got a loach that looks similar to a modesta but isn't? I've heard of contaminated stock of Yoyos that actually have kubs or some other stripped loach in it (they all look similar when young) and the different species take to grouping with their own kind. As to what species could be mistaken as modestas, I have no clue. Maybe a more experienced member could answer that.

It could also be that the social bonds haven't yet formed between the two groups. If you quarantined the second group of three for a while before introducing them to the others, that could be what happened. Also how long have you had them together? A wait and see approach may work wonders.

I don't know this stuff from personal experience, just from what I've seen others talk about in and around the forum.

[raving_wayne]

all 6 are defo b.modesta the new group was only introduced last weekend i did wonder about waiting and just see if the social bond grows and allows the other 3 to join

[Graeme Robson]

It's most probably the alpha loach that controls or makes the other two safer within the group of three. Give it some time, normally after a month they should start accepting them into their social unit.

I've witnessed with mine that on many occasions the males will only tolerate each other in the same shelter for a limited time and others/females often follow. It's not uncommon to see them split up but they do like to know that others are around them in the same aquarium.

[wasserscheu]

... It's not uncommon to see them split up but they do like to know that others are around them in the same aquarium.

That is exatcly what I would say about my Y.caudipunctata, which look very similar to the modesta.

My 5 Y.c. occasionaly sleep mixed with clowns or each other, but during the day they are territorial to each other and defend their cave, each has it's own sleeping cave which they are defending toward other fish to, but in more or less gentle way.
You would not think they socialise rather the opposite impresion, but once there is some loach-clicking anywhere in the tank, all 5 of them shoot out of their holes and play the grrr game ina wild manner - they chase each other which looks agressive - but it's a wild game they enjoy, all of them participate. Thy need a lot of space due to that behavior.

My 4 clowns btw never schooled with the 2 very smalll and young ones I added more than a year ago. Now as they get older there is more interaction.

[andyroo]

I wouldn't be surprised if even within a species and even a shipment you get animals from several drainages/countries possibly making up sub-populations and/or sub-species that may not recognize one another to socialize. I've got 4 Y.mods- three look the same, grow essentially the same and socialize together. The fourth is substantially smaller, a different colour (iridescent blue with orange fins) and is not part of the social group. It's not even part of the dominance games- simply ignored. IME Borneo and Indo Clowns seem to not socialize either.
There's certainly a lot of work to be done in defining these animals. Anyone out there working in Evolutionary Bio and/or Biogrography, preferably with a genetics background?
A

[Doc]

I had 6 Modesta which were all a fairly closely knit group. When I rehomed some from Ashleigh they were accepted into the main group without much conflict.. All was fine until Alpha was replaced then the group was divided and they all became much more aggressive with each other and the fights started to show a lot more temporary damage.