20 gallon loach?

**cocoa_pleco** · 08-26-2007, 03:49 AM

chris H needs a slap on the head!

good for not stuffing fish in there calla. im trying to think what would go comfortably in there. my banded one was good though. he is FOOD CRAZY and he cleaned like Mr.Clean magic erasers. he will chase lost bits of food and fits in nooks and crannys

**YaYgoldFish** · 08-26-2007, 03:50 AM

i'd recomend cories, he woul dprobably have some fun watching them swim at the bottom, maybe with some kind of sharks? or a predatory fish? You should take him to your lfs and let HIM choose lol much easier..Just keep him away from the bigger fish lol.

**cocoa_pleco** · 08-26-2007, 03:50 AM

agree with the p. corys are the best. a school of 5 is fun. they shoal and stick together, and if you have a bread leaf plant like java fern some will sleep and rest on the leaves!

**calla** · 08-26-2007, 04:00 AM

Well.. you guys nailed what I have pretty much :). I have 4 cories( they are so cute), planning to get 2 more when I move them to the 55, and a common pleco (also moving). In my 55 he picked the bala sharks (3), and there are 3 swordtails. I've been looking more at the banded loach... he will probably like that one. Everytime we go to the store he wants a pictus catfish. EVERYTIME. but I have to tell him no on that one. way to active and a little too mean for my taste. He seems to really like catfish and snake like ones...

this is what I really want... http://www.fishtanksdirect.com/index...ROD&ProdID=748
for the sharks and the pleco.

then he can fill the 55 with all the loaches he wants :)

**cocoa_pleco** · 08-26-2007, 04:03 AM

that link is what i want. i actually want to DIY a 300g acrylic soon.

the banded loach is really fun. for a month hes shy but after that hes like a kid on pixi sticks. if i shower the 55g with flakes he flies to the top then jumps and splashes then after he goes to the gravel for clean-up mode

**calla** · 08-26-2007, 04:14 AM

so it seems like he gets pretty big (banded)... I haven't found the best info yet online though, and this book I have doesn't have him. How big is yours now? I'm getting at least a 100 gallon within three month for the sharks and pleco, wish I could DIY a 300 gallon but I'm not that talented ;p.... so soon (3months or so) he could go into a 55. I don't mind not putting much, or anything else, in the tank so he'll have the whole thing, unless he gets lonely? and does he get along with everyone, like cories?

**cocoa_pleco** · 08-26-2007, 04:21 AM

mines not too big, maybe the size of a adults pinky. he doesnt get lonely and is a community fish. they just target snails but otherwise he leaves small fish and big ones alone. hes white with black bands allover and whiskers on front

**Dave66** · 08-26-2007, 05:10 AM

The smallest commonly available loach is Botia sidthimunki. They top out at 2 or 2.5 inches (females that touch larger). They would work in a sextet in a 20. The sextet is recommended, as they do better in groups, and it diffuses conspecific aggression.

Dave