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Loaches and MTS
LeighMo wrote:
They are slow growers, so it took them years to reach their current sizes of 5" to 6". But now they are big enough to do some real damage...and they do. :-/ Hmmm... my largest clown is about 3.5", maybe I should just enjoy the peace while it lasts... :) On the good side, they never bother my shrimp. Someone eats the ghost shrimp (I think it's the yoyos, could be the rainbows), but the singapore and amano are ok. I know! And theyr'e so gorgeous, with their silver and black markings. There's a "new" kind of botia that is being dubbed "angelicus". It's very very attractive, but they're selling them for ~$30 each for 1" babies. I'll wait for them to drop in price... :) I think they've made my clown loaches more active, too. They've been spending a lot more time out in the open since I got the yoyos. I have 2 clowns that are brave, 4 that are semi-brave and one that's a total scaredy-cat. Still, the spend most of the time hiding in their cave. How they fit in there along with the 4" ancistrus boggles my mind... -- Victor M. Martinez http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv |
Loaches and MTS
JEB wrote:
How long have you had the yoyos? I've only had them for a couple of months or so. During that period of time they went from being 1" long and skinny, to 2" long and shaped like footballs. :) I'm guessing they're happy. -- Victor M. Martinez http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv |
Loaches and MTS
I wouldn't keep them in a tank less than 4' long.
Leigh 4' tanks seem to be a sweet spot for a couple of reasons. Since I'm working with a 3 footer, maybe I can get by with a bristlenose and shrimp. Or a molly or two. James |
Loaches and MTS
How much damage they do to the plants is not really too big of an issue to me. The
tank is a 55, WIth a couple of swords, Some stem plants...(something that is broad leafed, tunrs pink in higher light...someone sent me it as a clipping..not sure what it is...pretty though) and some apongenaton that grows like weeds. It is heavily rocked in the center, and in the back corners, with the plants in any open spaces. Java fern is krazy glued to some of the rocks (until it attaches itself) Tank occupants: M-F 2-4 Labidocromis Caeruleus from 2.5" to 4" 8 (will be 1-4 or 2-4) Pseudotropheus Zebra Nkhata Bay 3/4-1.5" 8(will be 2-4) Cynotilapia Afra "Orangeback Cobue" 1-2" 5 Tiger Barbs (will probably be taken out as the cichlids get bigger..) I have a 20H with plenty of MTS..and want them in the sand...as its 4" deep (southdown aragonite sand) I want clowns because I need something to stir the debris on the bottom into the sand, so the plants can utilize it, and I think cories would get torn apart. Does anyone know if Synodontis Multipunctatus digs in the sand..or stirs it in any way? Rich LeighMo wrote: I wanted to get some clown loaches. I know they will decimate snail populations, but do they eat MTS? I want to keep the MTS, as they help stir the sand My clown loaches do a pretty good job of killing any MTS in their tank. They find MTS tougher than other snails, but still manage to get them in the end. In addition, I don't recommend clown loaches in a planted tank. Eventually, as the loaches get larger, they will start eating the plants, and they can be incredibly destructive. And clown loaches and MTS together in a planted tank are real trouble. Once the loaches realize there's escargot in the substate, they will start digging. You would not believe the size of the holes they can dig. Until they got the last of the MTS, my tank looked like a minefield. If you're willing to put up with all this...then congrats, loaches are very charming fish. (There must be a reason I still have mine.) I just got four more for my tank. Yoyo loaches. The LFS had four, for $4 each, and I couldn't resist. Such beautiful, active, friendly fish. Hopefully, they will be less destructive than their larger cousins. Leigh http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/ |
Loaches and MTS
"Victor M. Martinez" wrote in message ... .. There's a "new" kind of botia that is being dubbed "angelicus". It's very very attractive, but they're selling them for ~$30 each for 1" babies. I'll wait for them to drop in price... :) SNIP -- Victor M. Martinez http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv Good grief, maybe I should buy some and ship them to you. My LFS in Concord CA, which is supplied out of LA, sells the little ones for about $10, the big ones for $24 and I thought their prices were high. I was looking at some other pretty loaches...Botia Rosta.. something I think. I was advised not to get them as they tend to eat anything they can catch. Still pretty though. Bob |
Loaches and MTS
"Victor M. Martinez" wrote in message ... JEB wrote: How long have you had the yoyos? I've only had them for a couple of months or so. During that period of time they went from being 1" long and skinny, to 2" long and shaped like footballs. :) I'm guessing they're happy. -- Victor M. Martinez http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv :-)... mine have gone from 1.5 to 3.5" in a pond snail infested tank in 3 months. From only slightly thicker than a kuhli to ...Football shaped. I can't beat that description. Bob |
Loaches and MTS
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Loaches and MTS
Hmmm... my largest clown is about 3.5", maybe I should just enjoy the peace
while it lasts... :) Don't say I didn't warn ya! g There's a "new" kind of botia that is being dubbed "angelicus". It's very very attractive, but they're selling them for ~$30 each for 1" babies. I'll wait for them to drop in price... :) I saw them at Loaches Online. They are pretty, and it sounds like they are a nice size for fishtanks, about the same size as yoyos. But I'm running out of room. For some reason, my favorite fish are all bottom-feeders. I'd like to try those neon green corys, too, sometime. I thought they were dyed, the first time I saw them. So I didn't buy them. I haven't seen them since I found out they really are that color. I have 2 clowns that are brave, 4 that are semi-brave and one that's a total scaredy-cat. Still, the spend most of the time hiding in their cave. How they fit in there along with the 4" ancistrus boggles my mind... With my clowns, the bigger they get, the shyer they seem to get. My largest clown is the biggest chicken. They were all quite bold when they were small. They don't hide much, though. I've heard clown loaches are nocturnal, but mine are active during the day. They are also active right before the lights go on, and right after they go off. They seem to sleep at night. Leigh http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/ |
Loaches and MTS
Robert Flory wrote:
Good grief, maybe I should buy some and ship them to you. My LFS in Concord CA, which is supplied out of LA, sells the little ones for about $10, the big ones for $24 and I thought their prices were high. Not at all! I might add some in a few years after some of my current residents move to the big tank in the sky. :) I need to figure out how to make my ever-hungry rainbows develop a liking for guppy fry... any ideas? I was looking at some other pretty loaches...Botia Rosta.. something I think. I was advised not to get them as they tend to eat anything they can catch. Still pretty though. Botia rostrata? I don't think it's *that* aggresive. loaches.com has a species index with lots of info. Also, the folks in the web board are very knowledgeable and helpful. -- Victor M. Martinez http://www.che.utexas.edu/~martiv |
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