Hi kellifish. Thanks for the positive comments, and welcome. One reason that you may find us different to other forums is that we
specialize.
Pretty much everyone here keeps other fish, but we concentrate on Loaches. There's an awful lot of accumulated knowledge here too. We have trade input, visiting Ichthyologists and various of us have some great international contacts, so we tend to be cutting edge on this aspect of the great fishkeeping hobby.
I don't know if you've looked beyond the Loach Forum. The Freshwater covers most other stuff and the Off-Topic is for anything else....and that usually means politics, religion, personal opinions and largely unsugared criticism of just about anything. Enter there at your own peril
Check out Loaches Online (link at top of page) There you'll find more info on Loaches than anywhere else on the net. I will admit though that right now it needs a major rework and the Latin names are innacurate due to nomenclature changes.
Bottom line is we're Loach nuts.....something about your post suggests you'll fit right in

We have a large female contingent too, which isn't always noticeable in general fish forums.
Used to be that wives were fish widows.....now it seems there's a 50% reversal....certainly within loach loonies

Husbands now have to be structural engineers, "Honey, do you think the floor in that alcove could take a 120 gallon tank?"
Glad to have you aboard.....Enjoy!
Martin.