Loach Combatability

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
nuth88

nuth88

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Oct 16, 2006
1,056
13
68
Firestone, Colorado
Hey~

I love my Loaches, I have in a 45 (4' x 12" x 12") a group of Skunks, they are freakin Goofy, but what I really question is my 75 Gallon

10x-YoYo Botia (Botia almorhae)
4x-Angelicous Botia (Botia kubotai)
2x-Red Tail Botia (Yasuhikotakia modesta)

and it works together awesome! No issues amongst thieves, they are fed bloodworms, NLS Cichlids, a HBH mix of Soft Krill & Spriluna, the question is combatabaility, I will be upgrading them to a 125 and someone was offering me some Tigers (Botia striata) and telling me they would be fine, I was under the impression that these guys were more aggressive, and the would ruin the dynamic I have built with my lil guys. Thoughts, opinions? What about Clowns?

Nuthman~
 
Tiger Loaches are Syncrossus. Botia Striata are peaceful, and wouldn't work well with skunks. Syncrossus species are very aggressive and would likely fight with the skunks.
 
The skunks should be fine with the syncrossus. They can take care of themselves rather well especially the modestas. I wouldn't advise mixing modestas and skunks however with yoyos and kubotais, sorry. Keep the yoyos and kubs in another tank. Believe it or not, the skunks severed the heads of two yoyos and I made a mistake mixing them thinking both feisty species would work but no, it didn't and I still regret it up to now.
 
Zebra loach, Candystripe loach - correct, I used the Tiger name as I have had both, The Loach book lists them both as Tigers, I want Botia striata, not Syncrossus berdmorei. But if you look it up using the book "Loaches - Natural History & Aquarium Care" (The best Loach book ever made IMHO - Get it from Amazon.com) Striata is listed as both Zebra & Tiger.

Now My Skunks are alone in a 45 Long with my istlanum Grow out and some Plecos, doing fine, will never mix them as I know they are nasty lil SOB's. My question was, and forgive me for using the wrong name, in my 75, I have the following:

10x-YoYo Botia (Botia almorhae)
4x-Angelicous Botia (Botia kubotai)
2x-Red Tail Botia (Yasuhikotakia modesta)

Now what I am reading and getting from you guys is Get the Modestas out to another tank.

Now will the Botia striata (Zebra) work with these guys? (Yoyo's & kubotai) I did not mean to mis represent as I was looking at adding some Syncrossus, I have had them, they are just dang nasty. I do not want Syncrossus, I have not been able to keep them together at all, I end up with 1. But I have heard conflicting reports on the striata, I have heard they are mean, I have heard they are not, I love my YoYo/Kubotai community, and will never want to hurt them, but would like to add some more of another peaceful loach species to the mix, if possible. These loaches are like smokes man, habit forming, gotta get more man!

Check out this dudes book (Jim Powers is one of the authors) I saw him speak at a GCCA meeting and it was fantastic! I bought the book and can not put it down!

http://www.amazon.com/Loaches-Natur...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228443050&sr=8-1

Thanks in advance and sorry for the confusion on my part!

Nuthman~

:D
 
Striatas and clowns are best kept with kubs and yoyos. Modestas can go with the skunks.:)

Edit: Sorry, I didn't see the name striata in first post. That would have cleared everything earlier.lol Thanks to my skimming and blonde moment.
 
No Sweat, I misrepresented them as Tigers, so it's easy to get the confusion.....Thank you for the advice! Just want to keep my babies (yoyos & Kubotai) safe from beheading! I'm gonna grab a small shoal of Striata, to add to my 10 Yoyo's and 4 Kubotai!

Nuthman~
 
Move the Modestas, and it looks good.
 
not to discredit you , lupin...but my yoyo's are getting along great with my skunks...but maybe it is because i have 8 skunks and not just 1 or 2 and also its in a 125g
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom