I hadn't thought about how slowly the loaches grew. I figured since they outgrow most people's setup they'd be fairly available at larger sizes. Another fish I had considered was tinfoil barbs. Are they slow growers as well?
Looking for advice on a Poly Tank Build
- Thread starter Disturbed.)
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They grow pretty fast. I haven't had tinfoil barbs in about 30years tbh. Those get huge so they should be safe with almost all polys, again as long as they keep up in growth. I had some filamented barbs for a while with my ujs. Very pretty barb get pretty large also 7-8" on the females I think males are a bit smaller. I got rid of mine they bred and started destroying all my plants. Luckily the babies I grew out allowed me to buy more plants or traded for actually.
If any plants go in this tank at all they will be badass take anything plants like the 3 crinum natans I have growing out in pots. I learned that lesson in my 220. I "had" a bunch of cichlid proof plants in there and they have destroyed the tank enough that I'm throwing in the towel and will be selling all the fish except for the marbled hoplos. My better half is going to rescape it into a rainbowfish tank and I'll move all the giant driftwood into the monster tank. That is unless I get feedback here of the difficulties of maintaining a tank with such a reach. As much as I hate totally bare tanks most of mine are just not the ones on display.
Speaking of things inside the tank. The last couple large tanks I've build have had internal Bean Animal Overflows. As in, no overflow boxes and plumbing that looks like roots and logs. Would large bichers pose a problem for functioning pvc pipes inside the tank?
Took me a while to find a mid build picture but that should give you an idea of what I mean. The vertical pipe on the left is the siphon overflow. The one on the right is a gyre return. Left center is a top water spray bar that goes nearly all the way to the front glass. I never have to gravel vac thanks to the flow and the hoplo catfish.
Would these fish just break all that plumbing?
Took me a while to find a mid build picture but that should give you an idea of what I mean. The vertical pipe on the left is the siphon overflow. The one on the right is a gyre return. Left center is a top water spray bar that goes nearly all the way to the front glass. I never have to gravel vac thanks to the flow and the hoplo catfish.
Would these fish just break all that plumbing?
Completely agreed with
twentyleagues
and
The Masked Shadow
that loaches and bichirs is a terrible combination, at least if you care about the loaches.
Additionally, there is at least 1 more thing that make the combination undoable. Habitat wise they are incompatible: https://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4253&p=35608&hilit=oxbow#p35608
Good luck with the barbs, given their growth rate they're a better choice for sure.
twentyleagues
and
The Masked Shadow
that loaches and bichirs is a terrible combination, at least if you care about the loaches.Additionally, there is at least 1 more thing that make the combination undoable. Habitat wise they are incompatible: https://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4253&p=35608&hilit=oxbow#p35608
Good luck with the barbs, given their growth rate they're a better choice for sure.
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Again I think that will depend on what polys you are getting. I don't think smaller ujs will be much of an issue but larger ljs may be able to hit a pipe with enough force to damage the pipe.
Now that the build footprint has gotten large enough I'll no doubt be on the lookout for a couple endlis and laps. So I'll just build the tank plumbing quite a bit more stout. I don't have all these fish yet and even the fish I have already can be rehomed. I also plan on overstocking while they are young and thinning out less than desirable attitudes and colorations. So if you have any more suggestions or concerns please let me know.
