best tank mates?

[jdizzle3id]

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]

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]

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

 

[Jarred Darque]

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.