Loach Lovers Anonymous

[serena00]

And I just woke up to them upside down. No symptoms days before at all... I'm guessing parasites? I had no clue they were prone to that.


36g semi-aggressive
20g community
10g betta, nano fish, shrimp
3g betta

 

[ImACoolguy]

And I just woke up to them upside down. No symptoms days before at all... I'm guessing parasites? I had no clue they were prone to that.


36g semi-aggressive
20g community
10g betta, nano fish, shrimp
3g betta

Probably a parasite.


Hensley show her Angelicus Botia. They are gorgeous.


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS

 

[sinibotia]

Did they look skinny at all or anything?

 

[Mattfinn]

Love this thread already. I'm like mebbid wish I could keep some but don't have a set up.

I can actually see someone using a tank of yoyo loaches as part of some modern interior design. They're my favorite I've seen for sale out there, hell I might give it a go myself one day.

 

[sinibotia]

Love this thread already. I'm like mebbid wish I could keep some but don't have a set up.

I can actually see someone using a tank of yoyo loaches as part of some modern interior design. They're my favorite I've seen for sale out there, hell I might give it a go myself one day.

Yoyos are spectacular, they're the 2nd loach I ever got. Their pattern is amusing when they're little but it just gets ridiculously awesome when they get bigger. Saw one at the fish show at the catfish convention in 2012 and it blew my mind. I just wish they stayed a little smaller.

 

[lindenthaler.9]

You've kept the Sinibotia and Schuster species? I'm extremely jealous. Do you happen to have pictures of them and/or the setup you had them in?
And what's the book you have? I might have to buy it. Puffers and loaches are my favorites.

 

[sinibotia]

You've kept the Sinibotia and Schuster species? I'm extremely jealous. Do you happen to have pictures of them and/or the setup you had them in?
And what's the book you have? I might have to buy it. Puffers and loaches are my favorites.

Yep. Unfortunately no pictures of the sinibotia. It was years ago; I actually ended up with him by accident. I wanted a spiny eel for my birthday and she got me a sinibotia longiventralis because the pet store told her it was an eel. I don't think she realized how much better it was.

Sinibotia setup was a 26 gallon bowfront with a huge fluval filter (I forget the size but it was around 250 gph). slightly cooler water community tank. Zebra danios, an american flagfish, a bolivian ram, neon dwarf rainbowfish, some corydoras catfish, some upside down catfish. 26 degrees, heavily fake planted with a big plastic hollow log in the middle that was the fortress of my sinibotia.

My schistura was a sordid story. I impulse-bought a schistura obeini at one of the LFS because rare loaches are even rarer around here. Only place to put her was a 10 gallon until I could figure out a better spot. She was very clearly unhappy there, so as soon as my fiance's 29 gallon tank was set up and stocked we put her in there to give her space... and then she chewed up everyone's fins. Should have expected it really, but needless to say we put her back in the 10 and planned a loach species tank... and then she jumped No more idiotic impulse buys for me

The loach book is "Loaches: Natural History and Aquarium Care". Fantastic book, written by aquarists who just absolutely adore loaches of all kinds.

 

[lindenthaler.9]

I'm sorry to hear that about the Schistura. That must've been hard. I like the species only tanks, I think it's something that comes from having all my puffers. That would've been an awesome build to see.

Was it the Dragon Laos you saw at Wet Spot by chance? I was amazed when I saw them on their list, but didn't have the money. And I wasn't surprised when they were gone the next week.

 

[sinibotia]

I'm sorry to hear that about the Schistura. That must've been hard. I like the species only tanks, I think it's something that comes from having all my puffers. That would've been an awesome build to see.

Was it the Dragon Laos you saw at Wet Spot by chance? I was amazed when I saw them on their list, but didn't have the money. And I wasn't surprised when they were gone the next week.

I don't remember the common name. With loaches, retailers tend to stick on words like red, striped, chinese, golden, tiger, whatever because there's no consistent common name I always go off of the scientific name, what they had was sinibotia pulchra if I remember correctly. I would kill for some of those fish.

 

[lindenthaler.9]

I was going by the scientific myself but I don't remember it now. Too long ago for me. That's actually only about half of the common name I gave that they were using. It's quite sad actually.
I absolutely hate common names when it comes to the Hillstreams. "Butterfly pleco" is probably the worst.

 

[ImACoolguy]

This is madness! How have these not been mentioned! Cutest loach in existence, on the verge of the endangered species list, tiny, and one AA member has some!




Caleb

 

[sinibotia]

I was going by the scientific myself but I don't remember it now. Too long ago for me. That's actually only about half of the common name I gave that they were using. It's quite sad actually.
I absolutely hate common names when it comes to the Hillstreams. "Butterfly pleco" is probably the worst.

In general, hillstream loaches being sold makes my blood boil, because more than maybe any other fish they are doomed- they basically require a specialized setup, a setup that almost no one deliberately creates. I almost wish they weren't sold.

This is madness! How have these not been mentioned! Cutest loach in existence, on the verge of the endangered species list, tiny, and one AA member has some!

View attachment 271360


Caleb

I have never had those and I hate that fact.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Panda loaches! Just one species on my must have list


Caleb

 

[sinibotia]

Panda loaches! Just one species on my must have list


Caleb

They've been on my must-have list since the beginning of time. I just can never find them. Yaoshania pachychilus why must you evade me

Edit: ....did they get a lot more available or something? Did someone find a warehouse of them? Because I just found them for sale online, I never used to see them!?

 

[lindenthaler.9]

I hate the fact that they are too- I wish they could only be special ordered. I had a sales guy at the lfs try to sell one to us as a pleco for a warm water community tank. I wasn't happy. I've had so many arguements with people that buy them from the lfs- convinced that they're actual plecos. No matter what you say or what proof is offered otherwise. I give those ones a week to a month to live, tops.

The riverine community is one of my favorites and is an awesome setup to have-but no one wants to do it. I don't know why people buy these fish that have those specific needs, and know it, then refuse to give them it.

And I keep 3 Pandas. So it's two members.

 

[lindenthaler.9]

They've been on my must-have list since the beginning of time. I just can never find them. Yaoshania pachychilus why must you evade me

Edit: ....did they get a lot more available or something? Did someone find a warehouse of them? Because I just found them for sale online, I never used to see them!?

I think this is just the right time of year for them. My lfs got them in a few months ago, and I've seen them on Wet Spot. But that's just a guess.

 

[sinibotia]

Ugh, i want to buy some, but I want to wait till I have "the tank". A 55-75 gallon tank with a river manifold design- powerheads on one side, intakes on the other, for a ridiculously strong 1-way flow. And then just tons and tons of loaches.

 

[threnjen]

I love Yoyo Loaches. If I had any more space in my tank I would definitely have some! I know they aren't rare, but they are so cute to me.

Those panda loaches look AWESOME

 

[threnjen]

They have the panda loaches at Wet Spot. 4 for $70, yikes!!

I was so mad when two of my dwarf chain loaches died (one somehow fell out of the tank, and the other was mysteriously attacked and killed in the tank on a non-feeding day, and thus ended fish fasting day). Cause they were pricey enough.

 

[lindenthaler.9]

They have the Pandas at my lfs right now and I want more- but they want 20 each for them. And they no longer have the stripes so they'll probably adults. If I'm paying that much I'd at least want juveniles. I might give in however and buy them anyhow.