Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: stephen75 on March 10, 2013, 10:29:59 PM
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Just purchased 2 juvenile polkadot loaches from my lfs. They told me 2 would be fine on their own but after looking online and being told on another forum that they should not be kept in any less than 5 or they would be aggressive towards other fish. They also sold me 2 shrimps which i am also told that the loach will eat! Has anyone had any issues will small numbers of polkadot loaches?
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It's more that they won't show their natural behaviour if there aren't enough of them, and may be more prone to illness through the stress of being in a too-small shoal.
I have 3 dwarf chain loaches, and I've had them for almost 6 years (bought June 2007). I did get 4 but one got very thin and died within a few months. I couldn't afford more than 4. My three seem fine. I do realise that these are a different species from yours, but if you could get at least another one, preferably another 2, they'd be happier.
What species are the shrimps? Small ones like cherries could well be eaten, but larger ones like amanos could be OK. I have three amanos with my (admittedly smaller) loaches, and they were also OK with bolivian rams. Shrimps also do better in larger numbers.
You'll probably find your shrimps will hide for a while until they feel safe.
It sounds as though your lfs is one of those where you do need to do your own research.
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Im going to bring back and exchange for some shrimps. Thats if i can catch the little buggers! They are proving elusive at the minute.