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Fish/Small Loaches for a Community Tank

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Expert: Ron Coleman - 10/30/2009


Question
Hi Ron :)

I'm setting up my 180 gallon (6x2x2) peaceful community and am looking to add a loach species. My absolute favorite loach is the Clown Loach but their eventual adult size has prevented me from choosing them. Do you know of any smaller loach species that are just as awesome as the Clown? My current stock list includes:

18 x Zebra Danio
20 x Harlequin Rasbora
15 x Diamond Tetra
10 x Swordtail
6 x Boesemani Rainbowfish
5 x Red Line Torpedo Barb
5 x Pearl Gourami
10 x Sterba's Corydoras Catfish
10 x Kuhli Loach
4 x Keyhold Cichlid
4 x Blue Rams
30 x Cardinal Tetra

Thanks!
-Myra

Answer
Hi Myra,
 I am not very familiar with loaches, but I think you are definitely correct NOT to put clown loaches in that tank.  Personally, I lean more towards the smaller catfish, rather than loaches,
and there are many, many catfishes out there.  ("awesome" is definitely in the eyes of the
beholder).

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>

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Ron Coleman

Expertise

I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish). Please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. I keep fishes both as a scientist and as a hobbyist and I currently maintain about 140 aquariums.

Experience

I am an Associate Professor at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I was editor of Cichlid News magazine for several years. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.

Publications
Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes

Education/Credentials
PhD (Toronto, 1993) MSc (Simon Fraser, 1986) BSc (British Columbia, 1983)

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