Could I keep my Yo-yo Loaches and Gouramis alive in a Tanganyikan Cichlid tank?

Question

Could I keep my Yo-yo Loaches and Gouramis alive in a Tanganyikan Cichlid tank if I introduce the Loaches and Gouramis a week or two before my Cichlids? (55 gallon, well planted tank)

Tanganyikan Shell Dwelling Cichlids grow about 2 inches max. (Introducing earlier to allow them to gain territorry)(plants will be impossible for fish to uproot or rearange)

What if I used a piece of washed sceen as a divider (that would allow water flow and vision) to separate the groups of fish for a week, would they get used to the other and not attack?

Answer 1

didn't you already as this question last week?

Got this off a loach web site:

http://aquaweb.pair.com/forums/archives/loach5/index.cgi?read=66915

It is my opinion that cichlids should be kept in a cichlid tank only. I have seen loaches kept with cichlids but they don't last very long. Most cichlids are very territorial.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Your water is not perfect. It may be clear, but a nitrite reading of 1 IS dangerous, and probably explains your clown loach deaths. That indicates a problem with your filteration, not enough, been cleaned out to well, or something has upset the cycle bacteria (medications?) Nitrite and ammonia in the water should allways be so close to zero that an aquarium type test kit measures nothing. Anything else indicates a problem. Thats a very small tank for those fish, and they have probably grown a bit since you got them. One of the signs of an overstocked tank is problems maintaining the water quality, the small filters may not be able to process the waste, no matter how many water changes you do. Right now, reduce the feeding, that means less ammonia / nitrite going into the system. Do extra partial water changes, that will temporarily improve the water conditions Review the tanks filtering, DONT clean it out, but you may need an extra filter to maintain that amount of fish. Long term - you WILL need a much bigger tank. You have some cool fish, but some can grow to 12" long, so thats what you have to plan on housing. Good luck Ian

Answer 3

Cichlids are very aggressive fish, and besides the ph difference no matter how small the cichlids are, they will attack non-cichlids, unprovoked, until your loaches and gouramis are no more. Only attempt this if the other fish have close PH preferences and are at least as big than the largest cichlid in the tank.

Belive me, I've tried it. Small bottom feeder+ large Oscar does not work very well. Poor little catfish. They never had a chance. :(

Answer 4

Couple of things i don't think either fish would like the level of the pH, if memory serves i think both prefer pH between 6.5-7.5 and your fish are going to be above 8.
if they're not separated its not going to make any difference if the fish are in there first, as they tend to wander all over the tank and will be moving from one territory to another and will be battered each time they step over the boundary. The yo-yo or Pakistan loach may fare better but even so its not something I'd attempt, but then maybe someone out there has tried it and has some insight.

AJ