Any Kind of Fish?

Question

So , I REALLY enjoy loaches and I wanted to get a weather loach or a yo-yo loach but I found out a 20 gallon tank would be WAY to small for those type of fish. Do you know of any kind of fish that's has smialiar characteristcs as loach (their diet, water temp, living condition,compatibility ). They don't have to be JUST LIKE loaches but I would like them to be similar in some ways. Also please tell me a few things I need to know about the fish you recommened. Example:
They eat flakes, breeding is diffucult, should not be around children... ya know, a quick background check on the fish. Thanks you guys!

Answer 1

You don't have to stray from Loaches at all. There are a few small Loaches that fit your descriptions perfectly. Dwarf Chain Loaches only reach 2-3 inches, so a small group (3-5) would be fine in your tank. Also, consider Kuhli Loaches. They look a bit like worms, but their orange and black stripes are quite attractive. Cory Catfish aren't Loaches, but they do act very similarly. They are active bottom dwellers that appreciate groups... Gouramis look nothing like Loaches, and are fairly easy to breed, but they have great personalities and will recognize their owners. In a 20 gallon tank, you could get away with a shoal of Kuhlis OR Dwarf Chains, a Dwarf, Croaking, Sparkling, or Pearl Gourami, and a small school of mid-dwelling fish like Tetras, Rasboras, Barbs, or even Guppies (though Guppies aren't schooling fish, groups are nice).

Soop Nazi

EDIT: Horseface Loaches will reach nearly a foot in lenght, so you really shouldn't try keeping it that size tank... Also, they stay buried in the substrate for most of the day, making them one of the least exciting Loaches...

EDIT: Loaches are some of the hardiest fish I have kept, and Kuhlis certainly don't need a 30 gallon tank. A shoal of 3-4 can be kept easily in a 10 gallon tank if it is well decorated to suit their needs (soft substrate like sand, hiding places, wood, plants). While they are susceptible to parasites (because they have very small scales), most healthy fish can combat disease. Most Cory Cats only reach 2-3 inches, and are also perfectly okay in a 10 gallon tank, so a 20 gallon tank is no problem.

Answer 2

Loaches are very sensitive to water conditions and they tend to jump out of tanks that are too small. Kuhli loaches, also called half-banded loaches are need 30 gallons as do all that I know of. The size of a fish is not the only determinant for required tank size. Their need to school includes enough room to school and the larger tanks are more likely to have consistently good water conditions. Loaches are very prone to ich and other skin conditions, which makes good water very important. I would not recommend putting any loach in less than a 30 long. This also goes for cory cats. They also need excellent water and room to school. The botias (loaches, except the kuhlis) will school with other loaches but the cory cats will only school with their particular type of cory.
http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=16&cat=1911

Answer 3

get a horsefaces loach or some of the smaller variations of loaches out there.