butterfly loach aka borneo suckerfish aka hong kong loach

[deepwater]

I am considering getting some of these fellas. Has anyone out there had personal experience with them? Are they more of a savenger or a algae eater? I really don't want to torture the poor things just because their neat looking. I have a 55 gallon tank currently holding [1] 6" irredescent shark 'sadly Fluffy will need a new home sometime in the future". [6] glowlight tetras [1] neon tetra 'don't fuss I'm getting him some friends'. [2] ottos 'their are 4 more in my quaranteen tank waiting to be moved.

The tank has peagravel substrate, a piece of driftwood, lightly planted. There's a gentle current and I maintain the tank about 74 degrees.

Will this be suitable for these guys? How much company do they require or are they solitary? The fish guy at my lof's responese to my questions were DUH [really the man said DUH]

[Fluff]

We have one in my daughters tank. We don't do anything special for him and he seems to be fine. The tank is kept around 78. He stays upside down under the driftwood all day and at night he ventures out to work on the glass. His tank mates are platies, cories, cherry barbs, gold tetras, a male betta and an ivory snail.
They like cooler temps, high waterflow and high oxygen levels. They need algae and wood and will also eat bloodworms.

[FishLover14]

They are a great fish havent ever owned one but know a bit about them. From what i have heard they like other bottom feeders. You might want to buy them shrimp pellets to supplement their diet.

Dan

[webmoose]

I agree with what fluff said.. I've had one for a year this december.. I absolutely love this guy.. He is very shy and more of a scavenger.. he likes places to hide.. I have him in a tank in a room that doesn't get much traffic flow....

I always make sure the flow is high out of the [acronym:450557bfb6="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:450557bfb6] filter... I would recommend this fish never be in a tank above 80.. It would like 76-78...

OH ya and I've read they like to be the only one of its kind in the tank....

Moooose

[Menagerie]

They like cooler temps, high waterflow and high oxygen levels.

YES!!! I keep my tanks around 78-80F and I did not do well with these guys. I had two--each in a separate tank and after a month, they both died within two days of each other

[deepwater]

If I get him I'll add a powerhead to increase the current. Do they bother plants?

[webmoose]

mine doesn't he has been with me for a year this month..

[deepwater]

Thank you for the info. I guess I'm bringing one home. I always loved stingrays, this is as close as I'm going to get for along time.

[Toirtis]

Originally Posted by Menagerie

I keep my tanks around 78-80F and I did not do well with these guys. (

Yes, the temps that they are used to in nature are closer to 68ºF-72ºF.

[jibboo]

I've had one for a couple weeks now ... my 55g is around 75deg and I only have 1 filter (so I don't know how much current is readily available for this guy) ... but he likes to hide on the glass or upside down under this rock leaning against the back of my tank. Mine comes out quite often during the day sucking along the glass. I have seen him in my substrate (pool sand) but he is mostly on the glass ... busily munching ... so I assume from watching him that he's eating algae. I've never seen him on any of my plants and the only one that has ever bothered him has been my rubber nose pleco. And he is extremely fast ... so he moves once and then the pleco just leaves him alone. He doesn't appeared to be bothered by the other loaches in my tank ... just moves along at his own pace going where he wants on the glass.

This guy is definitely cool ... I'm kinda disappointed that I didn't get another 1 or 2 since it was only $2.99 ... but I got him not really knowing much ... other than he is a loach and I'd seen a pic of one before.