I'm thinking of intoducing 3 pakistani loaches into my community tank for housekeeping duties.
I have a small community comprising of a plec of 6 inches ,3 kissing gourmi, 4 neons,3 guppies,1 pepper cat, 1 male siamese fighter and 1 sucking loach in a twenty gallon semi- circular tank.
Ive heard that they are good for getting rid of snails and algae. How effective are they? Do they mix well with my community? I have introduced snails into the tank with the live plants and although they are not epidemic yet i'd like to get rid.Is there anything i need to know or be warey of?
pakistani loach 4 snail control
4 posts
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peterkarig - Posts: 111
- Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:06 am
I did a wee bit of reading concerning the comunity you have and I don't see that there would be a problem. The pleco will just grow and grow and grow, till you'll need a bigger tank for it.
The park lake near me is infested with huge plecos, obviously from people dumping them when they get too big.
I'll never get a pleco again. They're cute when small, but mine got really randy with it's sucking at night on my gars, and it created contusions on one leading to a bacterial infection which killed it.
As long as the Siamese Fighter is compatable with what you already have, the addition of more small loaches I think is probably OK, as long as it's not too crouded with the other bottom dwellers.
You may want to get a 2nd opinion though.
The park lake near me is infested with huge plecos, obviously from people dumping them when they get too big.
I'll never get a pleco again. They're cute when small, but mine got really randy with it's sucking at night on my gars, and it created contusions on one leading to a bacterial infection which killed it.
As long as the Siamese Fighter is compatable with what you already have, the addition of more small loaches I think is probably OK, as long as it's not too crouded with the other bottom dwellers.
You may want to get a 2nd opinion though.
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Tmercier834747 - Posts: 887
- Joined: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:33 pm
Personally I think snails are more of a benefit particularly to the planted tank (which tends to go hand in hand), rather than a pest as most regard them. The key to controlling snail populations before they do become an ''epidemic'' is fish feeding. Excess food leads to excess snails. Simple as that.
I don't believe any species of loach is inclined to eat algae however I could be mistaken. I do know almost all loach varieties love snails to varying degrees. I'm also not sure how large ''pakistanis'' get to be but many loach varieties will outgrow their comfort zones in a 20gal. Particularly where bottom dwellers are already present. Generally all loaches are peaceful in nature.
I'd urge you instead to consider filling out some schools of fish already present such as your peppered cory. They are happiest in groups of 5 or more and you'll get a lot more entertainment out of them (This goes for almost any cory species) when they're at full morale.
As PK said the pleco (assuming it is a common plec) will most certianly outgrow that 20gal.
A good website for more information on loaches:
http://www.loaches.com
Or if you're more into wanting to see something devour the snails rigorously do what I did. Set up a 5-10 gallon with good filtration and add a Dwarf(aka pygmy/pea) Puffer. Not to worry, they work well solo.
Here's a video of my old one, blimpie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDg-gaGgXjg
I don't believe any species of loach is inclined to eat algae however I could be mistaken. I do know almost all loach varieties love snails to varying degrees. I'm also not sure how large ''pakistanis'' get to be but many loach varieties will outgrow their comfort zones in a 20gal. Particularly where bottom dwellers are already present. Generally all loaches are peaceful in nature.
I'd urge you instead to consider filling out some schools of fish already present such as your peppered cory. They are happiest in groups of 5 or more and you'll get a lot more entertainment out of them (This goes for almost any cory species) when they're at full morale.
As PK said the pleco (assuming it is a common plec) will most certianly outgrow that 20gal.
A good website for more information on loaches:
http://www.loaches.com
Or if you're more into wanting to see something devour the snails rigorously do what I did. Set up a 5-10 gallon with good filtration and add a Dwarf(aka pygmy/pea) Puffer. Not to worry, they work well solo.
Here's a video of my old one, blimpie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDg-gaGgXjg
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andythebus - Posts: 8
- Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 4:21 pm
Thanks for that TM and pk.
I will definitely think about adding some more pepper cats instead as it is already one of my favourites and they work so hard too!
I like the plec too much to sell just now but obviously i want him(dave) to be happy so will sell him when he gets bigger.
The tank ive got came with the fish already as it came from a family friend and the fish all seam to be very happy. Only the kisssing fish squabble ( and kiss) and the sucking loach is a bit territoral, especially with the pepper cat, so introducing more peppers would maybe address the balance of power.
I will definitely think about adding some more pepper cats instead as it is already one of my favourites and they work so hard too!
I like the plec too much to sell just now but obviously i want him(dave) to be happy so will sell him when he gets bigger.
The tank ive got came with the fish already as it came from a family friend and the fish all seam to be very happy. Only the kisssing fish squabble ( and kiss) and the sucking loach is a bit territoral, especially with the pepper cat, so introducing more peppers would maybe address the balance of power.