How do I know if my hillstream loach is eating?

[JenNewbie]

I've seen my hillstream loach scrubbing the sides of the tank, the filter, the heater element and even the leaves of some plants, even though I've never seen any algae in the tank. I drop a crumb of algae wafer in the tank at feeding time, but the molly always picks it up and tries to nibble it. I've had the loach for 3-4wks, so obviously it's eating.... Not really a question, I guess, just wondering. My friend has a hillstream loach that will eat a betta pellet from her hand. I guess I'm just jealous, since all mine does is hang out on the tank sides or on the amazon sword.

Incidentally, is this thing a loach or a plecostamus? The [acronym:0b90c2e242="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:0b90c2e242] sells them as butterfly plecos, and it has barbs under its eyes and a dorsal spine, but all the internet info is under hillstream loach.

[Allivymar]

They are definitely loaches. Theres some good info about em on www.loaches.com if you haven't checked there yet. Not sure about the eating; you might want to throw a post there as well as they're the loach gurus

[TankGirl]

Here is a nifty link for you, and for all loach owners!
http://loaches.com/species_pages/protomyzon_sp.html

Well, almost a simultaneous post!

[Madame_X]

This isn't an answer to your question, but what temperature do you have your tank at? I want to get a Hillstream loach myself but I read they do well in cooler temps and my tanks get 80-82'ish in the summer time. Not much I can do to keep them cooler in our desert climate.

I'd love to have one, though! They're very cool looking fish...

[JenNewbie]

My tank has been at 88 for the last almost 2 weeks to treat ich. I was maintaining it at 78. The next few days, I'm going to let the tank temp go down. The loach hasn't shown any ill effects of the high temps, but I didn't really have a choice. I was given some advice by a friend of mine for summer (it gets in the low 100s here in summer) to keep a soda bottle filled w/ water in the freezer and toss that in the tank during the summer to keep the temp lower. My loach has been pretty boring, but I have a friend w/ two and they are both pretty social, and just hilarious to watch swim on the bottom of the tank. The other fish don't really know what to make of them. Is it food? Is it a fish?

[Madame_X]

He should be fine in the warmer temps since you're just doing that short term to treat the ich. However, maybe that's why he's being a little "boring" right now. He might pick up his activity level somewhat after you're able to drop the temps down to a range that he prefers.

I know what you mean about the other fish looking at him funny--my rams looked at my bristlenose pleco that way when I first got her. Kinda like, "What the heck ARE you?"

[Mr Burns]

Originally Posted by Madame_X

Not much I can do to keep them cooler in our desert climate.

this is a version of how my aunt keeps her bunny (who never leaves the horse barn) cool in the summer. rinse out a few 20oz pop bottles or water bottles so that the labels and glue are gone, fill it with water (not all the way up!), freeze them, then lay them in the tank. they will float obviously, so if i were in that situation, i would tie a string around the neck of the bottle and close the lid on it so that it doesn't float all over the place. just keep a couple in the freezer as back ups and you should be able to keep the temp down. hope that helps.

[webmoose]

I adjusted my tank from 82 to 76/78ish for my hillstream loach. Whenever it is on the glass its mouth is moving so I assume that it is getting some nutrients from this. I also drop algea tabs in my tank for my cories. I would recommend an algea tab in the late evening so that the loach will be more likely to eat it than the sword at that time.. (just my theory.. I could be crazy.. )

When mine is active it stays pretty close to the glass and whips around the tank like a little mouse. It has a few favorite spots where it feels save like where some of my live plants are close to the glass.

Last night when I turned on the lights he swam all over the tank. It is amazing how fast they can swim!

Mine doesn't do any tricks and doesn't let me hand feed him but I am really happy with it and glad I added it to my tank. I've watched it's heart beat many times and think they are amazing fish.

Another thing I do with this type of fish is make sure that my filter is producing the highest output so that there is current in the tank. It seems to like that alot.. Often I lower the water level enough so that the water is pouring into my tank. The cory's and hillstream love it.

The cory's and hillstream loach are my favorites in my tank!

JenNewbie your friend has two in the same tank? I was afraid to get more than one as I had read that they can be agressive with each other... Are your friends being social or agressive.. Just curious.

[JenNewbie]

No, my friend has one each in mini-tanks, one with barbs and one with a betta and a clown pleco. Hers stick to the bottom of the tank, but mine seems to stay on the sides/plants. I thought it my loach would start going to the bottom more once it settled in, but now I think the molly picking at the gravel may make it nervous. When the loach is on the sides of the tank the other fish will occasionally watch its tail or even try a bite of the tail. They haven't quite decided what to make of the loach.

[webmoose]

Mine stays primarily on the side and positions itself where the current is strongest from my [acronym:e4974ac497="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:e4974ac497] filter. I think that matches it's natural environment more than the substrate. I've read that the best place for these loaches is in a high current tank like a River TANK!!