Suggestions for tank (and questions)

[Pearlescent]

Hi,

Just registered here and hoping to get a little advice.

I'm currently setting up 2 x 3' and one 4' tanks and want some loaches of around 3" to add to the first 3' one.

We'd like something along the lines of the Dwarf Loach (Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki) but understand these command a pretty high price, are rare and probably therefore not usually or easily found in the UK.

Could you good people suggest anything along these lines which would be happy in a shoal of 6, reasonably priced and easily available in the UK?

We already have 2 YoYo Loaches and are looking for something a little different.

Many thanks

[Martin Thoene]

Hi Pearlescent and welcome to LOL.

I'm not sure of the fish-shop situation in SE London now (I grew up in Wimbledon and also lived in North Cheam), but there certainly used to be quite a choice of shops.

Y. sidthimunki actually come up on wholesaler's lists relatively regularly now compared with a few years ago. The price tends to be higher than most loaches, but not usually exhorbitant.

You could increase you number of Yoyos, but Botia striata, B. kubotai, B. rostrata and B. histrionica are all good choices and all are attractive.

Martin.

[LUVaLOACH]

Hello and welcome,

I think Martin gave you the answers you were looking for and any of those would be excellent choices. I am a big fan of the b. kubotia, well actually, I am a fan of all loaches so that's not saying much. You can't go wrong with any of them.

Looking forward to hearing about your new additions!

Kris

[Pearlescent]

Thanks for the suggestions and my b/f will be happy to hear that Dwarf Loaches aren't going to set him back a lottery win

I quite like the Zebra Loach (Botia striata) myself

Martin - I have only lived in London 9 months or so now, I'm actually from Cheshire in the NW of England (Manchester born) I moved down here to be with my b/f. We do have a couple of really good shops here but I always like to do alot of internet research fist just incase!

[Total Package]

Obviously prices will vary from this in the UK, but this should give you an idea of the cost ratio.

Y. Sidthimunki aren't super common but I've seen them in the USA. They cost from $13-20 each at about 1 inch in size. Last time I saw them they were $13.

For comparison, a 2-2.5 inch b. kubotai is from $10-19. So they're about the same ballpark. Not comonly stocked at most stores, but not hard to find either.

Yoyos run about $5-8 for 2 inches and are everywhere.

B. Striata aren't really common in the area, but I've seen them for $5-7 for about 1.5 inches.