help with sucker loaches?!

[dennywright]

hi i have recently bought 3x small sucker loaches from my local pets at home store and they were recommended to me as community fish for my coldwater tank rather than a weather loach but after only 2days i have discovered there tropical fish and can be very aggresive as they grow older eating the mucuous off other fish and already i have noticed 2xmarks on my bronze goldfish am i best to give them away?i also have a community tropical tank but dont want to put them in there either lol can anyone help or give me more advice so i can keep them or is it better to give them back?

 

[ollief9]

It's definitely best to give them back to the shop. As these fish grow older they can wreak havoc in the planted and non planted aquarium, digging pits in the gravel, uprooting plants, picking on the other fish and not eating algae. Pets at Home are notorious for selling these fish which are largely unsuitable for most standard setups.

 

[LyndaB]

Had you done research on the species prior to purchase? That's always your best bet. You actually need to go to the lfs prepared to argue with them about their recommendations. Sad, but true.

I would return them. I saw my husbands pleco attach itself to a sick fish but never healthy fish. Don't know about your species, but wonder if there is not a sufficient supply of algae, if they will grab the next best thing.

 

[agwats]

Yeah I would return them. They are notorious for attacking the slime coat on other fish and they don't really eat much algae. The older they get the more aggressive they get so its best to get rid of them asap

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard. We are glad you found us here at AA.