Weather Loach feeding with Goldfish is he scared?

[bushbrother]

Hi All,

This is my first post on the forum, hope I put this in the right place!

I have had a couple of Goldfish in a 30L tank for a while now and recently went to the fish store to get an Apple snail to help clean up the tank While I was there I saw they had some Weather Loaches and after seeing them online I had to get one. I asked if they are OK with Goldfish and was told it was no problem. He is about 2.5 inches long.

After sitting him in the tank for a while in his bag I set him free and he went down and burried himself in the gravel as I thought he would do at first, after a while he came out to explore his new environment. The Goldfish also came to check him out and gave him a nudge or two, he just shrugged it off.

Now my worry is this, the little guy doesnt seem to actively compete for food. I bought some frozen mosquito larvae and some sinking catfish/loach granules when i bought him that the fish shop recommended. The problem is that whenever i drop some of it in the water the goldfish polish it all off before the little guy gets a chance! even if they are already eating their flakes.

Now I have seen him eat a little, but only a few granules and am a bit worried he is not getting enough food. I have only had him a couple of days and he seems fine and is quite active, infact i have only seen him bury himself once more, he seems happy sitting about under the little bridge

I read that they are more active for seeking food at night and so popped a bit more in in the evening, but again the goldfish gobble everything up before he even moves from his spot. He does then seem to come and "sniff" around the area for leftovers, but its a bit late.

What am I doing wrong? I don't want to put too much food in there as won't the goldfish keep on eating till they pop? Or am I underfeeding them too?

Any advice appreciated, sorry for the long post!

[mickthefish]

it's not easy when you have goldfish in the tank but if you get the goldfish intrested by dropping some food in then put some food at the opposite side of the tank he may get a little more than he is at the moment.

mick

[bushbrother]

Ok, thanks for the reply. I did try doing that but he didnt seem in a big rush to get any food. Is it because he is scared of the Goldfish, or is he just not hungry?

[starsplitter7]

Dojos aren't really a timid fish, but if you have a big enough tank, you should get a few more -- at least 1 more, if not two or more. They are a communal fish and do better in groups. Mine all dog pile together. Mine come to the top of the tank, and take food from my fingers. They are very easy going fish. You can also use a tube to drop food directly to him while you distract the Goldfish in another part of the tank.

Make sure you keep the tank really clean. Goldfish are known to be dirty fish and Dojos need clean water. I would certainly do water changes at least once every two weeks if not more often.

If your tank really is a 30 L (8 US gallons), it is too small for the Goldfish and Dojo long term. You will need to get a larger tank. A Dojo can grow to 8-9 inches (20-23 cm).

[bushbrother]

Yea, I plan to get a larger tank later on, but he is only a small guy right now ... maybe sooner if you think he would be better with a friend

I guess he maybe needs a little time to get comfortable with his surroundings? In the shop he was with other fish but they were smaller than him ...

I tried holding some food in the tank and slowly approaching him but he was very timid and went to other side of the tank ... Do they take time to get used to it?

[starsplitter7]

He would absolutely do much better with a friend. And they do need time to adjust.

I never tried to give mine food. They just scared the daylights out of me, when I was absentmindedly feeding my fish, and they are smacking their lips at the top of the tank trying to get the food from my fingers. They make a clicking sound when they try to suck the food from your fingers. Give it time. They will come to you. Mine hang out with some small eels and they all get along fine, and I find the Dojos sleeping with the eels.

I keep floating plants in my tank, and the Dojos and eels sleep in the plants. They eat the plants (not the Dojos, but other fish I have), sleep in the plants, hide in the plants.

For not I would drop food near him with a tube.

[bushbrother]

Excellent, appreciate all your advice

[Diana]

30 L as in liter? or 30 L as in 30 gallon, Long tank?

If these fish are in a 30 liter tank, move them ASAP into a much larger tank, neither Golds nor Weather Loaches will do well in such a little tank for much longer than it takes to quarantine them.

If these guys are in a 30 gallon long, then you have some time. I would move them when the Golds reach 2-3".

Both species are rather social, so if you can get a large enough tank then get more Loaches.

In a 50 gallon you might keep 3 Goldfish and half a dozen Weather Loaches until the Golds hit 5-6". Watch the water quality. As the fish grow you will need to do larger and more frequent water changes. Keep the ammonia and nitrite at 0 ppm, and the nitrate under 10 if at all possible, under 20 ppm for sure. Do a thorough gravel vac every time. Golds tend to drop food, and while both species will search through the substrate they do not fine all of it.

The Apple Snail is a good idea, with Golds, but some Loaches are very good snail hunters, and will harass the Apple Snail to death.

Neither snail nor bottom fish eat fish (or snail) poop, so you need to stay on top of cleaning.

Goldfish can grow over a foot long (regular shaped ones) and close to that if they are the ones with the distorted bodies. The fancies still have all the mass of the wild fish, though, even if their body is shorter, they are fatter and taller, and need just as much water to dilute their wastes between water changes.

Golds are very greedy fish, and you are right to be concerned that they will overeat and get sick.

Try a few feeding tricks:
Both species can learn to eat out of your hand.
Feed the Loach after the light is off for a while, and the Golds are asleep.
Use a turkey baster to drop the food right next to or even inside the Loach's favorite cave.
Distract the Golds with some food, then drop a divider between the Golds and the Loach until the Loach has eaten.
Feed fresh and lightly cooked vegies. The golds will work on this food longer, it is higher in roughage that golds need, and may keep them interested long enough for the Loach to eat. Less chance of the Golds getting sick from eating too much, if they are eating lower fat and lower protein foods. They still need fats and proteins, but not as much as they are likely getting when you are adding extra food to be sure the Loach is getting enough.

[bushbrother]

Hi All, thanks very much for all the replies, its some great advice.

Last night I fed them again and this time the loach seemed much more active and held his own during feeding, managing to beat the golfish to some

I also noticed him scooting behind where the goldfish were "digging" in the gravel and hoovering the bits floating around, sometime even reaching up and touching around the goldfish mouth area and along its body, like he was almost cleaning them ...

So it seems he is more comfortable now I think the main point I take away is that I need a larger tank, the shop said it would be suitable for the 2 fish and the loach would be ok, but I guess pet shops are not known for their great advice! I will get a larger tank ASAP.

Again thanks for the great tips, peas really do keep the goldfish busy !!

[Diana]

Pet shops know only one word: Yes.
Anything to make a sale.
Like selling you a Labrador Puppy and a dog bed for a Pom.