best tank mates? - Aquarium Advice

jdizzle3id · 02-10-2007, 01:43 AM

I am thinking of adding some loaches to my tank. It's a 70 gal with 6 balas and 6 tiger barbs. My lfs has skunk loaches and zebra loaches. I would actually prefer to go with yoyo's but none are available locally and i don't want to have them shipped. I have read that skunk loaches can get rather aggressive but I can't imagine them bothering balas or tiger barbs too badly. Anyway I was just wondering what you guy thought I should go with. zebras or skunks?

BrianNY · 02-10-2007, 06:25 AM

My concern here is that you're going to be overstocked pretty quickly because of the balas.

Although balas are peaceful, they get huge (reportedly 6 ft in nature), and grow fast. You really don't need to be adding more fish. This includes bottom feeders because the balas will pick the bottom clean.

zenkatydid · 02-12-2007, 02:52 AM

i don't think you mean 6ft?? i have heard they can get up to about 1ft.

Jarred Darque · 02-12-2007, 06:18 AM

largest I have seen in a home aquaria on a bala was 10 inches, but I am sure they can get a tad larger, say a foot. either way, 6 10inh or 6 foot long fish is pretty much the stockin max of a 75 gallon tank, especially when they are all in the same area of the water column, like the same type of fish would be.

02-10-2007, 01:43 AM	#1
jdizzle3id Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dekalb, IL Posts: 31	best tank mates? I am thinking of adding some loaches to my tank. It's a 70 gal with 6 balas and 6 tiger barbs. My lfs has skunk loaches and zebra loaches. I would actually prefer to go with yoyo's but none are available locally and i don't want to have them shipped. I have read that skunk loaches can get rather aggressive but I can't imagine them bothering balas or tiger barbs too badly. Anyway I was just wondering what you guy thought I should go with. zebras or skunks?

02-12-2007, 02:52 AM	#3
zenkatydid Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Sydney Posts: 765 Images: 3	i don't think you mean 6ft?? i have heard they can get up to about 1ft. __________________ 50gal planted - yoyo loaches, BNs, SAE, odessa barbs 28gal planted - sparkling gouramis, dwarf cories (hastatus, habrosus, pygmaeus) 5gal planted - betta, otos 5gal planted - glass shrimp, CRS

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02-10-2007, 06:25 AM	#2
BrianNY Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 4,259 Images: 18	My concern here is that you're going to be overstocked pretty quickly because of the balas. Although balas are peaceful, they get huge (reportedly 6 ft in nature), and grow fast. You really don't need to be adding more fish. This includes bottom feeders because the balas will pick the bottom clean.

02-12-2007, 06:18 AM	#4
Jarred Darque Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 666	largest I have seen in a home aquaria on a bala was 10 inches, but I am sure they can get a tad larger, say a foot. either way, 6 10inh or 6 foot long fish is pretty much the stockin max of a 75 gallon tank, especially when they are all in the same area of the water column, like the same type of fish would be.