Pakistani loach - friend or foe??

[kes]

I picked up a full grown pakistani loach for my community tank today (just on the offchance, I've never encountered a full grown Botia in my LFS and couldn't resist him!).

So far he seems fine with my other loaches and he's been quite active around the front of the tank, doing his 'loachy dance' which Emma Turner - loachwoman extraordinaire - says is quite normal.

The only thing is tonight I've noticed him rubbing against my rainbow cichlids and was just a little concerned in case he's using his cheek barbs on them? Do you think he's being friendly or threatening?

They don't seem too bothered by him and I've plenty of foliage and caves for everyone to keep out of each others way... what do you loachy experts out there think?

[sergo]

if i'm correct a pakastani loach is also called a yoyo loach. if so they are very friendly, busy and curious. they won't cause you any problems and they love to eat snails. they will tend to dig up plants in their relentless search for food in the substrate. i have 2 of them and they are really neat. they are social too so you may want to get more than 1.

[kes]

Thanks for the advice Sergo. I've got up this morning and he's at the front of the tank, rooting around in the substrate and messing my plants up just as you said! :hmm3grin2orange:

I've now got a little community of a B Histrionica, B Striata, B Kubotai and now the new YoYo (which I believe they've just changed the genus of?..Is it Almorhae or something?). The Yoyo is the only full grown chap, the histrionica is about 7cms so not too far off and the Zebra and Polka Dot seems to be quite slow growing, is that normal? They really remind me of puppies cos they all play around together and come and greet me in the morning (apart from the histrionica who's quite shy, bless him).

It seems the new Yoyo has gazumped the whole pecking order and taken over top loach role and is keeping everyone in check - I think she's a female cos she's got a big fat belly!

I'm hoping they won't be too much of a bother to my other community fishes.. so far so good!

Ooooh, one more question.. I know the loaches click when they're annoyed but mine all click at dinner time too.. Is that just the sound of their jaws or is it just like a cat growling with a plate of chicken? I didn't know if it was a 'back off, this algae wafer's all mine' kinda thing!!!

[sergo]

i really don't know why they click but mine do it too when i drop in some algae tabs. but that's the only time they do it. also one of mine i think may have a fondness for my male afra, it's always swimming around him at the top and middle of the tank. the afra doesn't seem to mind it too much either. kind of weird i must say.