Do hillstream loaches need to be kept in groups?

What are the adaptations of a loach?

They have a nice tapered shape (kind of like a torpedo) that allows them to cut through and withstand water that moves quickly. Reticulated hillstream loaches also have wing-like pectoral and pelvic fins that they use to move but also secure themselves onto rocks and various surfaces.

When to add Brook loaches to your tank?

As hillstream and many brook loaches can be delicate when first imported, they must be added only to mature aquaria and, even then, only after your dealer has rested them in suitable conditions. Once your tank has cycled, start stocking with small ‘dither fish’ that will enjoy the fast flow and lower temperature.

How often should I change the water for loaches?

Partial water changes should be carried out ideally twice a week. Nitrates must not be allowed to build up in your set-up, as these wild-caught loaches are used to the fresh waters their natural habitats constantly provide and therefore are intolerant to any build-up of organic wastes. Hillstream and brook loaches are fascinating creatures.

How often should I feed hillstream loaches?

Hillstream loaches should be fed on limited food quantities since substantial quantities might kill them. This is because they are used to scavenging in the wild and only eat when the food is available. Feeding the loaches once or twice daily will suffice for them.

What is a good pH for a betta fish?

PH value between 6.8 and 7.4 The Betta is a fish that hates being annoyed. If you choose fish that are incredibly active and dart through the tank all day, then your Betta is likely to attack them. The best tank mates for a female Betta tend to be those that are calmer and relaxed.

What is it about Brook loaches?

Hillstream and brook loaches are highly modified bottom dwellers enduring incredibly difficult environments. These can range from from oxygen-rich, swift, cool mountain streams to torrential rivers and rapids with water hurtling along at more than 3m/10’ per second! Why then do so many retailers treat these fish so poorly?

Can you breed Brook loaches in a tank?

Quite a number of brook loaches have also been bred under river tank conditions, including Mesonoemacheilus triangularis, Acanthocobitis botia, Schistura cf. balteata, and S. nicholsi. Most success stories occur predominantly in species-only aquaria where there’s little predation on eggs or fry.

How does betta fish affect the pH of your tank?

Additionally, natural nitrogen cycles which start from betta fish waste can lower the pH levels across a tank, and that is exactly why regular partial water changes are required.

How often should I Check my betta fish pH level?

If you are a first-time betta fish owner, it would be wise to measure the pH levels every 2 or 3 days. However, once you learn more about your aquarium water and become more confident about it, testing water parameters every two weeks is more than fine.

How do you dechlorinate a fish tank with no fish?

Fill up the tank with a hose pipe, (note if it is a small tank or you do not have a tap nearby you will have to use buckets). Use a water de-chlorinator after filling. Although there are no fish, chlorine and chloramines can build up over time.

Can you find a kuhli loach in a tank?

Many a tank has ‘lost’ its Kuhli loach for years at a time, only found again when the tank is eventually stripped. Kuhli loach are Malaysian fish, so we wanted a tank with plants from that part of the world. That meant two easy targets appeared straight away — Cryptocoryne and Java fern.

How often should you check the pH of your fish tank?

Check the pH at least once a week to keep your fish healthy. The quality of your tank’s water is directly tied to the health of your fish. A pH that is too high or low may not necessarily kill your fish, but it can stress them out, put pressure on their immune systems, and make them more susceptible to certain diseases.

What is the best water chemistry for a Betta tank?

Now let’s take a deep dive into the best water chemistry for betta tanks; how to obtain it, and how to keep it. Betta water should remain between 6.5 – 7.5. Alkaline water increases damage from ammonia. I try to keep my betta water pH between 6.6 and 6.8. Use products such as API’s pH Up and pH Down to adjust as needed. dH under 25.

How does pH affect betta fish?

Both acidic and basic pH levels can prove to be devastating for fish. At both ends of the spectrum, pH can chemically burn the externals and internals of betta fish and other invertebrates. Higher basic levels also pose the threat of fostering excess amounts of ammonia, which can lead to a very painful death for the betta fish in your tank.

Why does my betta fish need water changes?

Water changes will also help remove and replace carbon dioxide that may have been used by your fish and invertebrates in your betta tank, especially if you don’t have live plants that will process the carbon dioxide for you. Water changes will also help remove and replace trace elements that could also be influencing pH.

Will distilled water hurt my betta fish?

Distilled water has had all the minerals and nutrients taking out that your betta needs to survive. Urea which is commonly found in fish waste is known to raise the pH in betta tanks. If you’re not using a filter in your tank then over time the pH of the tank will slowly rise.

How to filter fish tank water?

There is a method for filtering and changing the fish tank water, which must be meticulously followed if you would like to keep your fish alive and healthy. Water plants, such as lucky bamboo, are a great way to filter your aquarium, as they collect and feed on fish waste through their roots.

How to dechlorinate water in a fish tank?

The use of an air pump for aerating a fish tank is an effective mechanical way to dechlorinate water. The air pump will create the perfect aeration to dechlorinate water. And your fish tank will need an aerating pump to circulate the water anyway.

How to dechlorinate tap water without chemicals?

An air pump will help you to dechlorinate tap water. When water aerated through the air pump, it get rid of Chlorine mechanically. The aeration created by the pump helps to get rid of Chlorine In the water.

What to plant at the bottom of a fish tank?

Other great plants that fill out the bottom half of your tank are plants like the dwarf Sagittaria, which will grow with large leaves that are broad and encircle the solid tank decorations such as porcelain and stone ships. Mosses are a great option to give a natural look that covers the bottom of the fish tank.

What kind of water do I need for my fish tank?

Almost all fish keepers use tap water as their main source of water for their tanks. There are exceptions, because some people have excess to a well or buy their water at their local fish store.

Do betta fish need H2O conditioner?

Zoo Med Betta H2O Conditioner Water conditioners and other water treatment products are a necessity when you keep aquariums, and betta tanks are no different. Most municipalities add chemicals to their water supplies to kill disease-carrying microorganisms that could make us sick. But these chemicals are lethal to our betta fish!

How does pH affect your fish?

How Can pH Affect Your Fish? | Sciencing Fish and other aquatic animal and plant life require the water they live in to be a certain pH level in order to be healthy. If the pH level is too low or too high, it can make fish sick, even kill them. A low pH means that the water is acidic; a high pH means that the water is alkaline.

Why does my betta fish’s pH drop?

If you have decorations in your tank, there’s a possibility they’re causing the pH level in to drop. In, the fact this phenomenon is well known. betta keepers in the past have used aquarium decorations such as driftwood to lower the pH in their tank when it becomes too high.