Skunk Loach....Botia morleti

[MaryJ]

Anyone have Skunk Loaches in a community tank? Are the aggressive? Thatfishplace says they`re safe but I want a first hand opinion from someone who owns a skunk

[Emma Turner]

I'd be very careful with regard to what you house with Skunks. For a relatively small fish they have a huge amount of 'attitude'. Personally I think they are best kept in large groups (5+) in a fairly big aquarium, and only with moderately sized semi-aggressive dither fish that could handle their fiestiness e.g. tiger barbs, larger danio species etc.

Hope this helps,

Emma

[MaryJ]

Here`s where I was going to put them and the present residents but if they`re too aggressive for ANY of the residents i`ll skip the skunks until I get another tank for species only.
125 gal.
5 Clown Loaches
3 Dojo`s
1 Severums
2 Flounder
1 BN pleco
2 A D Frogs
4 Danios
1 Platy
1 Molly
6 Phantom Tetras
1 Glassfish
1 SAE
1 albino BN Pleco
5 Bronze Cories

[NancyD]

I agree with Emma. Years ago we kept 2 but could not find suitable tankmates even though they were only about 1.5 inches. They relentlessly chased smaller fish, fin-nipped any & all fish, causing some giant danios' suicide jumps. They went for the gills of blue acaras & firemouths (cichlids) & even an an african cichlid. They also were hard to catch, 1 lived in an undergravel lift tube. We gave up after less than 6 months. Some people seem to have good luck keeping them with other aggressive loaches, modesta, eos & maybe tiger loaches. Maybe several, 6 or so, would lessen bad behavior but cute as they are they are not for most people's idea of a community fish.
Nancy

[NancyD]

Oh, I see your fish list now & vote definite NO to skunks with them. Platy & mollie would definitely be targets. A species tank sounds like a good idea. BTW how do your flounders do in there? We had a small one once that even placid fish like platies would nip just to see it jump. Poor thing had no sand to hide in but I'm not sure that would have worked for long. Seems like clowns digging would bother them even if unintentional.
Nancy