botia striata...zebra loaches...

[cybersymes]

high there fish-fiends...
as you may know i have two of these guys at the moment...
i want to get them some friends of their own kind...
[cospecific...groovy word...]

i know they will appreciate some chums...
but how many should i get...
profiles on the 'net seem to vary...
from at least 3...to seven minimum...

i can't afford a whole heap of these dudes...
poo-wise...not financially...
i have to watch bioload levels in my tank...

so what do y'all think...???

oh yes...bioload wise i have 2 extra cories to go in...
6 more black neons...and possibly a dozen hatchetts...
[the fry will be out and in another tank at the weekend]...
so as you can see by adding that to my signature list below...
i'm getting pretty close to the edge overstocked-wise...

water parameters are all good...
10% water changes every other day...
polyfilter installed as a safety measure...
as yet...no real plants...

 

[Lotus]

I'd say a minimum of 3 will work. The more the merrier, and many people say it's better to get them in odd numbers. Always make sure they have a cave to call their own (not one that another fish has claimed).

 

[cybersymes]

I'd say a minimum of 3 will work. The more the merrier, and many people say it's better to get them in odd numbers. Always make sure they have a cave to call their own (not one that another fish has claimed).

chears chum...that's cool...
they have a driftwood cave that's theirs...

i'll get some more tomorrow...not too sure how many...
maybe 3 more so i end up with 5...

is the odd number rule just for loaches...or everything...

 

[Lotus]

Some people say it's a rule, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence to it. I have heard it applied to other schooling fish, but there doesn't seem to be a reason. With loaches, it apparently stops them from pairing up and ganing up on another loach. I'm not really sure it makes a huge difference in behaviour, though.

 

[cybersymes]

Some people say it's a rule, but there doesn't seem to be any evidence to it. I have heard it applied to other schooling fish, but there doesn't seem to be a reason. With loaches, it apparently stops them from pairing up and ganging up on another loach. I'm not really sure it makes a huge difference in behaviour, though.

chears chumm...i got another one...so now i have 3...
i'll see how it goes with these guys...
thanks again...