What tank should i put my Hill stream loach in?

[em1981ma]

Hi

I have a dilemma, I have a coldwater tank and about to set up a tropical tank, I currently have temperate fish and two fancy goldfish in a 40gallon tank, I am moving my temperate fish in to a Tropical Tank so the Goldies can grow to their full potential alone in the Coldwater tank. I have a Hillstream Loach ie a hongkong pleco and im not sure where to put him , He is newest member to the tank. Temperature wise they like colder conditions so should I leave him in the coldwater tank? But he is sometimse out competed for food! and doesn't come out and fight for it, even though I feed Loach after lights out and give goldies a little flake food to distract them they still greedily find his food in every hiding place I have tried to store it. I am both worried about goldies over eating and Loach undereating although he seems happy and well. My temperate fish I have are Danios, platys and minnows may occasionally nibble but don't show as much interest in the Loaches wafer. So I though I would put Loach in the heated tank with them and buy a faser running filter to get a good flow of water as I know both minnows and Loach like that( I have a EHEIM pick up with air diffusor in my coldwater tank), I am just worried about temperature in tropical tank for Loach, cause I want tank to be warm enough that my platys reach their full potential and to bring out their colours more. Anyone know anything about HILLSTREAM LOACHES(butterfly loach/hongkong pleco common names) Please give any advice. My Tropical Tank is 3ftx1ftx1ft not set up yet so all fish are in 4Ogallon I would move into Tropical Tank 3minnows, 4danios and 2platys. I also read Hillstream Loaches like happy in groups, so would I have enough room in Tropical tank to get him a friend if I go with that and have heated lowest.

I am worried that I should have done more research before I brought him as feeling I may have to get him a species only tank which I will find difficult as running out of room in flat. They only get to 5cms so he wont out grow tank, if I buy no more fish for tropical tank just perhaps a friend for him.


Any help with where I should put him which is best for him will be greatly appreciated? He's dead cute but I feel it may be better taking him back to the LFS if I cant find a way to meet his needs.

 

[Coursair]

Hi

I have a dilemma, I have a coldwater tank and about to set up a tropical tank, I currently have temperate fish and two fancy goldfish in a 40gallon tank, I am moving my temperate fish in to a Tropical Tank so the Goldies can grow to their full potential alone in the Coldwater tank. I have a Hillstream Loach ie a hongkong pleco and im not sure where to put him , He is newest member to the tank. Temperature wise they like colder conditions so should I leave him in the coldwater tank? But he is sometimse out competed for food! and doesn't come out and fight for it, even though I feed Loach after lights out and give goldies a little flake food to distract them they still greedily find his food in every hiding place I have tried to store it. I am both worried about goldies over eating and Loach undereating although he seems happy and well. My temperate fish I have are Danios, platys and minnows may occasionally nibble but don't show as much interest in the Loaches wafer. So I though I would put Loach in the heated tank with them and buy a faser running filter to get a good flow of water as I know both minnows and Loach like that( I have a EHEIM pick up with air diffusor in my coldwater tank), I am just worried about temperature in tropical tank for Loach, cause I want tank to be warm enough that my platys reach their full potential and to bring out their colours more. Anyone know anything about HILLSTREAM LOACHES(butterfly loach/hongkong pleco common names) Please give any advice. My Tropical Tank is 3ftx1ftx1ft not set up yet so all fish are in 4Ogallon I would move into Tropical Tank 3minnows, 4danios and 2platys. I also read Hillstream Loaches like happy in groups, so would I have enough room in Tropical tank to get him a friend if I go with that and have heated lowest.

I am worried that I should have done more research before I brought him as feeling I may have to get him a species only tank which I will find difficult as running out of room in flat. They only get to 5cms so he wont out grow tank, if I buy no more fish for tropical tank just perhaps a friend for him.


Any help with where I should put him which is best for him will be greatly appreciated? He's dead cute but I feel it may be better taking him back to the LFS if I cant find a way to meet his needs.

My friend has a 75g tank set up for her Hillstream Loaches. She has several and 3? different species plus other loaches. Only other fish are Vietnamese White Clouds. Lots of flow 2 filters, power head and heavily planted.

Favorite food is Rapashy gel foods.
Plus smooth rocks are put in shallow water in windows to grow natural algae.

I don't think your loach will do well with Goldfish or warm water long term.

Check Loaches Online forum for expert opinions as well.

 

[em1981ma]

My friend has a 75g tank set up for her Hillstream Loaches. She has several and 3? different species plus other loaches. Only other fish are Vietnamese White Clouds. Lots of flow 2 filters, power head and heavily planted.

Favorite food is Rapashy gel foods.
Plus smooth rocks are put in shallow water in windows to grow natural algae.

I don't think your loach will do well with Goldfish or warm water long term.

Check Loaches Online forum for expert opinions as well.

Thanks for the advice, I am thinking that maybe I could move the temperate fish then in to the other tank and have it without a heater as temperate fish can live in both conditions and are small species so less bioload, they don't touch Loaches food much and I could get two filters with air diffusor which created bubbles and water movement. Whats a Powerhead?
And I think I would have room to get Loach 1-2 friends once tank is over the cycle period. My platys colours may not come out but they seem happy and healthy enough in the current coldwater tank. Overall I think this might be the best idea to just have a separate Coldwater tank with temperate and Loaches together my cloud minnows like lots of waterflow so I can try my best to get as good a movement as I can and with two filters it will help keep water cleaner. My Loach loved this smooth giant skull I have in my current tank so I would move that over for him. He sucks at it all the time during the day. Also any idea is my tank going to be ok stockwise 3ftx1ftx1ft with 4danios, 2 platys, 3 cloud minnows and 1 Hillstream Loach with thought to get 1 or 2 more hillstream loaches?