Several Questions from A New Kid On The Block

[chrisb]

Folks:

1a) Background
I have recently purchased 6 Sewellia lineolata via the internet.
The description indicated that the loaches would be small (3/4") and indeed they were as they appeared to me to be smaller than 3/4" but, then again also, I am not very familiar with loaches.
I had fortunately set up two 5G tanks in order to acclimatize and grow out show guppy fry which I also procured and received.
I placed the loaches in one of the 5G tanks.
These tanks have very rudimentary mechanical filtration and as well as very rudimentary biowheel biological filtration.
I typically do 90% daily WC's and many days 2 90% WC's with my main tank water (which is pristine).

1b1a) Additional Background
For the first two weeks I fed a blended mixture of squid, krill and brine shrimp (the guppies grew "a ton" and I believe that I observed some growth in the loaches.
I am now feeding several of my "home made mixtures" (please refer to
http://www.fishforums.com/forum/fyi-you ... style.html)

1b1b) Question
Should I be feeding another food?

1b2) Should I induce "something" into the bottom of the tank as it is currently bear bottom.

1b3a) Additional Background
I have an airstone in the tank in order to produce some turbulence on the surface of the tank water but also to generate a current along a portion of the bottom and and one of the walls.

1b3b) Question
Is the current adequate (I do not know how to describe it other than it generates some turbulence on the surface)?

2a) Background
I have really slobbered up with multiple log in names, passwords and email addresses in order to generate this thread.

2b) Question
Is there an admin or mod I can visit with to "get this mess fixed"?

3) and last question: how long will it takes for these loaches to reach 2" in order that I can place them in my main tank?

TR

[Emma Turner]

Hi and welcome to Loaches Online.

Sewellia lineolata are actually very slow growing fish. It is going to take a few years for them to grow from less than 3/4" to 2"+. I am confident of this because of the rate of growth of my fry in what I would consider ideal conditions. It wouldn't be a very good idea to keep yours in their current set up, which really is far too small for them, and also from the description, there is not enough current and aeration for them at the moment either. Airstones provide minimal aeration (just where the bubbles break at the water's surface) and do nothing for creating a good powerful current and high levels of oxygenation, which Sewellia species enjoy.

Have a look at this article by Martin Thoene to get an idea of their needs: http://www.loaches.com/articles/hillstr ... -fast-lane

This article details their natural habitat: http://www.loaches.com/articles/sewelli ... -aquariums

And in-depth info on the species: http://www.loaches.com/species-index/sewellia-lineolata

With regards to the feeding, they are actually one of the easier hillstream loach species to get onto dried foodstuffs. I alternate feeding mine with small frozen foods (white mosquito larvae, baby brineshrimp, daphnia, cyclops etc) with sinking catfish pellets (JMC brand), Tetra Prima, broken up algae wafers & Hikari sinking carnivore pellets. They also like to graze around in mature tanks with algae growths for the invertebrate life that it contains.

I am not a fan of tanks with no substrate myself, but do understand that they have their uses. However, I don't like to think of bottom dwelling fish without substrate and in the case of hillstream loaches they need plenty of flat stones, cobbles etc (preferably covered in algae) and some shelters in the form of planting/bogwood or both.

Your best bet is to move the Sewellia into a much larger growing-on tank (seeded from your main tank) with a better filtration system and a couple of powerheads to create a decent flow rate and increrase O2 levels. Is the main tank you mention set up with hillstream loaches in mind (i.e. does it have fast flow, cool temps & high O2 levels)? What other fish do you have in the main tank?

With regards to your log-in problems, you can contact the webmaster Jeff Shafer via e-mail and he should be able to sort you out. The address you need is comments@aquaweb.pair.com.

I hope this has been helpful,

Emma

[chrisb]

Emma:

You spent a ton of time preparing your post and I really appreciate it.

TR