Yaoshania pachychilus - Panda Loaches x 10

[cockroach]

While sourcing fish this week I came across a black and white gem.
Took a closer look and bam! Panda loaches. Have been looking for a while. I have read they are often emaciated and this but these had a piece of glass covered in algae in the tank and the fish feeding actively. The fish were fearless and swimming around. I discussed with the guy and got a great deal on 10. So took all he had.
I will be setting up a river manifold breeding rack during Chinese New Year and these will have there own tank about 150cm x 30cm x 30cm set up like a flowing stream with unidirectional current and river rocks, pebbles and loads of algae.

I realize it will be about 1-2 years before they breed but I have them now so no worries.
The smallest is about 1.2cm (0.5") and the largest about 2.5cm (1"). The have eaten sinking veg pellets and I have covered the tank in algae covered rocks. The tank is small but so are the fish and it is temporary.


The tank which has been changed a bit to add more algae covered rocks and the grey rock removed. It is a very mature tank.

 

[Hendre]

Nice pickup! I take it they are biofilm feeders?

 

[cockroach]

Nice pickup! I take it they are biofilm feeders?

Thanks. Yes, the are obligate benthic grazers much like hillstream loaches.

 

[Hendre]

Thanks. Yes, the are obligate benthic grazers much like hillstream loaches.

Ah that's quite good. I used strong LED lights to grow algae for my shrimp

 

[cockroach]

These guys will be getting their own dedicated tank as mentioned with LED lights to make sure that algae be covering er'thing.

 

[cockroach]

The tank now. Think it may be enough algae for the time being. lol

 

[cockroach]

Growing a bit now

 

[cockroach]

There seems to be only 8 left but the way the tank is thrown together it is really hard to count.
The 150cm x 30cm x 30cm tanks for these guys arrived and I will be starting the build soon to get them into there own home.
They are growing nicely and usually have a fat belly from grazing and once a day feeding of bloodworm, brine shrimp, veg pellets or flake food.

 

[BigShawn]

Update?

 

[cockroach]

I have been so busy for the past few months that I am struggling to distinguish my ass from a hole in the ground. I have a few recent pics.
There are currently only 4 adults in the tank. Hoping if breeding is on the cards, that at least one pair exists within the group. I saw some more babies recently but my budget was spent on hillstream loaches.

They are growing well and almost developed their adult coloration. They are a very busy little fish and the biofilm/aufwuchs covering the tank is ample to sustain 4 little loaches but their diet is being supplemented with carnivore pellets, algae wafers, frozen bloodworm, frozen brine shrimp and raw algae covered rocks from the local stream that has a plethora of microfauna to scoff.

I ahve not seen 2 of the loaches in about 3 or 4 days and hope they may be nesting somewhere. There has been some inklings of breeding in stiphodon above the panda loaches and the garras below have been shoaling much tighter with the way I have been doing water changes lately so hope it may have triggered something. The zacco platypus (opsariichthys pachycephalus??) have been constantly laying eggs but they don't stand a snowball's hope in hell with all the young rhinogobius in that tank.

Some pics





The garra tank got a rock pile. Still deciding on final tank layout.