newbie

[dekker]

hi my name is dekker i'm new to tropical fish keeping and the internet aswell, i've just got my first loaches (3 zebra's) they are great little fish i hope to be adding to them soon could someone recommened some mates for them any help & advice would be great ie the best food etc, i gave them a slice of cucumber the other day they made short work of that,

cheers ................dekker

[Mad Duff]

Hi Dekker, welcome to LOL

Your best bet would be to add more Zebras to the 3 you already have, you will get a lot more from them in a larger group.

What size tank do you have and what other species of fish are in it

[Whitey_MacLeod]

Hey Dekker, and welcome. You've found the best site around for loaches- almost everything I know about them I learned from here
Here's a few links for you if you haven't seen them already:

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-striata

http://www.loaches.com/care/the-loach-almanac

http://www.loaches.com/articles/an-intr ... ping-botia

I'd agree that more zebra loaches would be the best choice, but the question of how many more fish you can add and which species would be suitable depends very much on how big your tank is and how much free space there is in there- the more you can tell us, the better the advice you'll get.

[dekker]

hi whitey & mad duff thanx for the replys i will check out the links you supplied and i will be adding to my loaches in a few weeks time when my current ones settle in could you suggest any mates for the zebra's i already have.

cheers ,............dekker

[MoonPye]

Welcome Dekker, I am fairly new here too, only a couple of months reading this forum. The people here are VERY informed about loaches.

Don't really know anything about the other loaches than Dojos yet.. I don't have room available to set up more tanks.. hopefully someday!

[Mad Duff]

could you suggest any mates for the zebra's i already have.

Zebra botia's - Botia striata like most botia's like to be in the company of their own kind first and foremost so you best bet would be to add to the current group of 3 with maybe another 3.

If you want to add more Botia species still it would depend on your tank size and available space, given the space you could consider some Botia rostrata or Botia kubotai or there are many other loach species to choose from given the space etc.

If you can tell us the size of your tank and stocking levels we will help you out as best as we can

[dekker]

thanx for all the info everyone i will be getting 3 more zebra's next month want to let my first 3 settle in, whats best to for feeding them, what can you recommend something i can get from my aquatic shop,
these little fish are brilliant yesterday i could only see 2 then late last night found my other hiding in the pump bracket,amazing,
anyway thanx for all the info everybody this place feel's like home already

cheers.........dekker

[Rocco]

Hey Dekker,

Firstly, welcome to LOL.

We'll be able to help you better if you're able to tell us the capacity of your aquarium. How big is it? Take a tape measure to it and measure length width and height if you aren't sure.

[dekker]

hi rocco
thanx for the welcome
my tank is a fluval roma it is 125lt
i have 3 zebra's
5 neons
3 platys
3 guppys
all getting on well together will i be able to add 3 more zebra's.

cheers.............dekker

[Rocco]

I'd say get 3 more zebras and stop at that

Could you show us some pictures?

[dekker]

thanx rocco
yes i will show some pics as soon as i get some on comp i'm new to internet as well as fish keeping so it may take a while

thanx again rocco...............

[newbe007]

if you want to try something differnt i would go with 3 yo-yo loaches. or some so called "poka dot botias" as they are called by my local pet shop.
botias are very very near relitives to the loach family.

thank you
Newbe007

I like zebras i dont own any though i cant find them any where

[Emma Turner]

Hi dekker, welcome to Loaches Online.

With regards to feeding, your Botia striata should love JMC's Sinking Catfish Pellets (the large sized granules in the pot with the orange coloured lid), Hikari sinking carnivore pellets, Tetra prima, and a variety of frozen foods (which should be offered several times a week). What size are your B. striata? If they are very small (less than 1.5") you'll need to choose appropriately sized frozen foods such as baby brineshrimp, cyclops & daphnia. If they are a bit bigger, they will go mad for any type of frozen mosquito larvae, spirulina-enriched brineshrimp and Mysis shrimp.

Hope this helps,

Emma

if you want to try something differnt i would go with 3 yo-yo loaches. or some so called "poka dot botias" as they are called by my local pet shop.
botias are very very near relitives to the loach family.

thank you
Newbe007

I like zebras i dont own any though i cant find them any where

Newbe007, Botia species are loaches.

[Tinman]

Hello Dekker,
You have recieved very good advice indeed, I have and do keep many specie of Botia but no mixes are near as rewarding as a large group. Some keep 20 or more of the same specie together and do so by choice because of the interaction among the group is so much improved by each addition of the same. You will not belive the varied diet these Striata will take too. I even use squished peas and someone mentioned squished beans last week which are a great source of protien so those will be added to the menu here. Good Luck

[newbe007]

newbe007 wrote:
if you want to try something differnt i would go with 3 yo-yo loaches. or some so called "poka dot botias" as they are called by my local pet shop.
botias are very very near relitives to the loach family.

thank you
Newbe007

I like zebras i dont own any though i cant find them any where

you wrote:
Newbe007, Botia species are loaches.

lol. you make me feel stupid. thats like the 10,000,000,000,000th time you have corected me........................lol[[/quote]