loaches with cichlids, a few quick questions.
- Thread starter philipraposo1982
- Start date
i never expect anything but criticism from you anyways so nothing new there. Thanks for your input though 
I offered sound advice, what I think most would consider constructive criticism. It's almost impossible not be to critical, when so much info is lacking in your threads. Thus far you are the only person that even knows what species of loaches you are referring to, as though all loaches are the same. LOL
You just got your GT turned around, and now you want to risk adding more fish? Like I said, good luck with that. FYI ...... unless you are sleeping with the person supplying the new fish, it's always a good idea to QT new arrivals. Some fish can simply be carriers, without ever showing symptoms, and when exposed (under stress) to new fish with zero immunity to that pathogen, oops, take a guess what happens. Again, just good advice from someone who has learned a lot of these things the hard way over the years.
Even if you ignore everything that I have posted, hopefully someone else will one day read this and pause and consider why I gave the advice that I did, and possibly reconsider a potential bad decision.
Good luck
You just got your GT turned around, and now you want to risk adding more fish? Like I said, good luck with that. FYI ...... unless you are sleeping with the person supplying the new fish, it's always a good idea to QT new arrivals. Some fish can simply be carriers, without ever showing symptoms, and when exposed (under stress) to new fish with zero immunity to that pathogen, oops, take a guess what happens. Again, just good advice from someone who has learned a lot of these things the hard way over the years.
Even if you ignore everything that I have posted, hopefully someone else will one day read this and pause and consider why I gave the advice that I did, and possibly reconsider a potential bad decision.
Good luck
I'd be more concerned about the loach dying from illness than being murdered. ive kept 3"-6" clown loaches with much larger cichlids including gt with no aggression problems. but all of my loaches ive kept through the years have all died from sudden infections before they ever got bigger than 6".
i don't usually quarantine my new fish either but it may be a good idea with clown loaches and a nice pretty gt like yours in the mix. maybe if i had done the same i still might have my loaches.
i don't usually quarantine my new fish either but it may be a good idea with clown loaches and a nice pretty gt like yours in the mix. maybe if i had done the same i still might have my loaches.
just a quick update in case anyone was curious.
My GT was fine with the loaches, took one look and let them be. They actual follow him like he is their leader. Last night once lights went out I actually saw 2 loaches resting almost laying on his side. He seems to enjoy the company
My GT was fine with the loaches, took one look and let them be. They actual follow him like he is their leader. Last night once lights went out I actually saw 2 loaches resting almost laying on his side. He seems to enjoy the company
I'll add a different twist - I've never had a problem w/ clown loaches and big aggressive CA or SA cichlids - have not tried w/ the Parachromis at a large size. That said, I have had and continue to have two problems w/ clowns in my tank - which would be exasperated w/ your GT example.
1) Loaches nibble and don't gulp. Therefore, I find I end up having to overfeed my fish to ensure the loaches get enough food. And I have to feed food that is a smaller size. I think my tank would be cleaner and potentially the cichlids healthier w/out the loaches - even though the coexist fine
2) CAs like a cool down period and GTs are one of the SAs that like to be kept not too warm - if your GT is a gold saum, maybe not so much. My clowns had a break in period and I ended up getting and having to treat ich in my tank. I feel like I am spending money that I shouldn't on heating and making my tank warmer than some might like just to keep the loaches happy - and w/ that it is still pretty cool for the clowns. As a plus, I was able to add my festae since the tank was heated for the clowns.
Good luck - those are both nice fish and pretty contrasting colors.
1) Loaches nibble and don't gulp. Therefore, I find I end up having to overfeed my fish to ensure the loaches get enough food. And I have to feed food that is a smaller size. I think my tank would be cleaner and potentially the cichlids healthier w/out the loaches - even though the coexist fine
2) CAs like a cool down period and GTs are one of the SAs that like to be kept not too warm - if your GT is a gold saum, maybe not so much. My clowns had a break in period and I ended up getting and having to treat ich in my tank. I feel like I am spending money that I shouldn't on heating and making my tank warmer than some might like just to keep the loaches happy - and w/ that it is still pretty cool for the clowns. As a plus, I was able to add my festae since the tank was heated for the clowns.
Good luck - those are both nice fish and pretty contrasting colors.
Were your loaches in the same sized footprint as the OP, with a single adult male cichlid? That was my point previously, not that one can't keep loaches with larger more aggro species of cichlids, but that by having no other cichlids to release any "extra energy", it can easily be taken out on whatever else is in the tank. Having kept loaches in species only tanks there can be a huge difference in behavior when they feel confident enough to always be out and about, and even sleeping in the open. Hopefully this is the behavior that the OP will experience over the long haul.
BTW - loaches will gobble food down pretty swiftly, if the pellets being fed are small enough. Toss in some larger pellets for the big fish, and smaller pellets that will sink quickly down to the bottom. This has worked well for me over the years.
