Cories Vs. Loaches

[TheLadySmoke]

I'm thinking of what bottom dwellers I want for my 45G Bow front.. I have black sand as substrate. Tankmates will be Serpae Tetra and Mollies.

I'm wondering is there any big differences between cories and loaches? Besides aesthetics? Aggression maybe? Does one specie stick to the bottom more than the other?

Another questions (might be a dumb one lol) will cories or loaches swim around the tank too? Or do they strictly stay around sand level?

Thanks for any info!

 

[Tropicallie]

Cories in my opinion are more fun because if you get three or more of them they will swim around together like they are playing and it's really cute. Loaches are cool as well though every now and then my cories will swim around the middle and top of the tank but they are mainly bottomed dwellers. Loaches though will hang out higher up on plants or things like that and swim towards the top much more often than cories will.

 

[Wiggles24]

As far as bottom feeding goes they both do pretty much the same job. I love them both but I am probably a little more partial to loaches. They are so interesting to watch they remind me if a pack of dogs they swim together, eat together and play together! They do spend most of their time at the bottom but not always they do explore plants and decor searching for food or chase each other around the upper levels while playing. In a 45 you could definitely do a group of four or five dwarf loaches.

 

[Hholly]

I have cories in one tank and Yoyo loaches in another. I really like the cories "cute" shoaling behavior. But the loaches are more aggressive, but very beautiful and entertaining to watch. Their size is also more impressive to watch. I can't put any long finned, slow fish in the tank with the loaches. Loaches also have the benefit of being snail hunters. I would decide based on what other stock you want.

 

[TheLadySmoke]

Seems pretty even 50/50 on opinions when I looks these two up! Haha. Thanks for your stories about these guys! I'll check out the pet store and see which ones leap out at me.

 

[Rivercats]

I actually have 25 cories and 3 good sized yo-yo loaches and I'd say they are equally entertaining. Both tend to stay lower but yo-yo's can and often will play all through the tank. Really it's a matter of which one you like the look of better for your fish.

 

[Mrscbennett]

I have 2 Yoyo loaches, 2 kubotai loaches, 2 clown loaches, 1 zebra loach, and 2 sumo loaches. I love them all! They swim all over and play together. Except for the sumo loaches. I only see them at feeding time. The clowns are the biggest, the Yoyos next biggest, the others stay small.

 

[Velksfish]

I have 4 albino cories an really enjoy watching them. Especially when they dart to the top and back down (i guess they call it "getting a drink of air") but it is like a torpedo. And the way the shoal together is fun to wAtch. One minute they are doing their own thing. And the next they are all together swimming around.

 

[TheLadySmoke]

One more question.. Will cories or loaches suck on the glass, or is it only Pleco's that do that? Also, I assume that both species will be comparable with a bristle nose or other small type of pleco?

 

[Wiggles24]

Panda garras will suck on your glass.

 

[Hholly]

One more question.. Will cories or loaches suck on the glass, or is it only Pleco's that do that? Also, I assume that both species will be comparable with a bristle nose or other small type of pleco?

No, they don't suck on glass. As far as being comparable with a small pleco... Some loaches get huge, like clowns.

 

[Tetra1990]

I have 4 kuhli loaches and 4 cores in my 29. I enjoy the kuhlis because they remind me of mini eels.

 

[Wiggles24]

Panda garras will suck on your glass.

Garras are technically in the loach family but have many characteristics of suckerfish they are super cute too.