r/loaches • • Sep 25 '25

Behavior A note on (human) behavior

79 Upvotes

Hello, loach gang!

We have been enjoying watching the sub grow and seeing all your cool fish. Thank you for participating, posting, and sharing all that loach love and experience. One thing we want to remind our participants of, our rule about behavior: please be excellent to each other.

There are many subreddits out there where anything goes as far as acceptable responses. We want to cultivate a forum where being decent matters, and being a beginner is okay. As you respond to content, please remember, there is a person reading your words. No attacks please.

I feel I need to address what has cropped up quite a few times in the last couple days: accusations of abuse.

Sometimes a hobbyist keeps a fish in a manner you won't approve of. I remember back in the 80s when I first started keeping fish as a teen, I made quite a few mistakes. I started to educate myself by reading books, magazines, and talking to long time hobbyists, and I then gradually became a better fish keeper with experience. I can't imagine my reaction if I'd been called an abuser, but I probably would have left the hobby feeling discouraged. Changing hearts and minds begins with curiosity, patience, knowledge, and kindness, in my experience.

No one (so far that I've seen) has posted content that is recklessly, joyfully, sadistically negligent. So please dial back those assertions like "this is abuse!" in favor of softer statements such as, "have you tried..." or "I have found..." or "I've often seen it recommended to..."

Additionally, though opinions are welcome (if they follow the behavior rule), we prize facts here at r/loaches. Scientific literature that has been peer reviewed, statements by experts (PhD, DVM, etc), and published best practices (for example in a professional group such as veterinarians or even aquaculture trade journals) for keeping fish are of interest to us all, so please quote your actual "expert" source if you want to suggest abuse so we know that it's more than your opinion.

This reminder is not meant to be discouraging or dismissive to the welfare of our beloved wet pets, but a reminder about how we treat our fellow humans on this forum, even in tricky situations. Thanks again for reading, and stay loach-y out there!


r/loaches • • 14h ago

Just for fun Anyone else’s dojos obsessed with them?

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63 Upvotes

If I could be granted one wish, it would be for my dojos to be able to hangout with me outside of the tank. They’re my heart fish.


r/loaches • • 21m ago

Question Conversion of Trout In The Classroom Tank Set Up for HS loaches and...?

• Upvotes

We have a 100 gallon lidded tank, 1.5 hp chiller, fluval FX6, and a big powerhead - so, water as cold as it needs to be (trout were at 52), tons of water flow and high oxygen levels. I inherited a Trout in the Classroom program and given how few fry survive, even in the best conditions, am thinking about switching over to a more permanent community tank of fish that would also appreciate the current set-up. We could make hillstream loaches quite happy - any ideas on other fish that would also thrive in this set up, and if we could root some aquatic plants that also could handle the flow? Four inch deep sand/gravel substrate right now. Would prefer not to invest in a heater, though we can certainly fit it out with all the light needed.


r/loaches • • 16h ago

Just for fun Biscuit

13 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 1d ago

Just a little loach sand shuffle

38 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 1d ago

The council is deciding your fate

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10 Upvotes

I love when they get together and poke their little heads out from somewhere.


r/loaches • • 16h ago

I bought black khuli loaches yesterday. Splotches have appeared rapidly over the past 24hrs. I suspect Columnaris. I’ve set up a hospital tank and bought Kanaplex. I plan to do half dosage since they’re scaleless. If anyone has more information before I medicate it’d be appreciated. 💗

2 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 1d ago

The loach of suspicion

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110 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 1d ago

Just for fun loaches at feeding time! they've grown up a lot so will be going into a bigger tank soon

11 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 18h ago

Question Hi. Due to an illness in the aquarium, the medication has stained the water—as well as the ceramic media. Is this harmful? Should I replace the ceramic media? (I tried using activated carbon; the color in the water disappeared, but the ceramic media remains stained.)

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1 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 2d ago

Behavior UPDATE ON LARRY THE LOACHH

181 Upvotes

he seems to be livin like a king now days i hope, we will get more live plants soon we are just using what we have rn from our other 20 gal and what he came with. he eats like a champ on the proper diet now, half of him is active mostly just over food the other half just chills there.

AND don’t kill me guys but i lowkey want to keep him by himself as he already has been for a few months after being with gold fish and frogs over the last 4 years he’s out lived them all. that tank is just not big enough for more then larry i want to learn his behavior see if he’s lonely idk is that possible? and is there any other fish i could get for him to not be lonely that will fit in that 30 gal?


r/loaches • • 1d ago

Question Injured Hillstream loach NSFW

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2 Upvotes

I think I accidentally injured my Hillstream loach. She seemed like she was stuck in the sponge filter so I tried to yank the tube out. It came out really aggressively and I think I hurt her.

She has a huge gash on either side of her head. One side has peeling skin. What do I do? What can I do?

Currently I've done a 20% water change. And I've added half a tablespoon of salt to the tank. It's a 10 gal.

What else can I do for her? I fear that this is a death sentence.


r/loaches • • 1d ago

Just for fun Do I need to say anymore?

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10 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 1d ago

Help with ID Pangio Shelfordii?

3 Upvotes

found these awesome loaches amongst the swarm of normal kuhlis at the lfs and had to pick them out, identification?


r/loaches • • 1d ago

Circling loaches

4 Upvotes

Can anybody shed a light on what these 2 are doing? Started yesterday and still doing it this morning.


r/loaches • • 2d ago

Question Loachplant

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28 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 2d ago

Just for fun Night time noodle party

18 Upvotes

This is a nightly ritual


r/loaches • • 1d ago

Friends, I need urgent advice: my fish hasn't eaten for 5 days. It is swimming actively but has become very thin. I tried treating it with Metronidazole, but it didn't help; its condition is deteriorating—it is losing weight and has a complete lack of appetite. The veins are visible on both sides.

0 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 3d ago

Question Heard we were sharing Loach art!!

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48 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 2d ago

Dilemma: Irresponsibly purchased 2 Yo-Yo Loaches

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4 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 2d ago

Question Black kuli loaches

4 Upvotes

A couple months ago I found out about these guys and I think they are the cutest little guys. I read some stuff watched some videos before getting them and set up a tank for them. Everything I saw said a 10 gallon tank is just fine for them.

I currently have 3 of them in my 10 gallon tank and I was hoping to get maybe 2 or 3 more friends for them. Also to add to the movement of the tank. they have been enjoying the underground tunnel I gave them and the plant forest.

They have lots of plants and hiding spots and sand they play in every now and again and they are so fun to watch in the evenings.

However I've been watching and reading stuff about them as of recent and it says they need a 20 gallon. So im just wondering if i should leave it at a group of 3 for the tank.

My 10 gallon currently has 3 black kuli loaches, 1 mystery snail to keep alge down and 1 assassin snail that took care of a pest infestation a little while ago.

Should I leave it as is or would it be ok to add 2 or 3 more loaches?


r/loaches • • 3d ago

Just for fun who up bothering the betta

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80 Upvotes

(she’s fine btw just trying to steal their algae wafers like a fatass)


r/loaches • • 3d ago

What I'm greeted with when I come home from work 🤣

20 Upvotes

r/loaches • • 3d ago

Question How many borneo loaches for a 70L tank?

5 Upvotes

Is 6 ok or need more or less?


r/loaches • • 3d ago

Help with ID Are these kuhli loaches?

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17 Upvotes

ALSO should I remove the cover on this heater, I'm slightly worried about them getting stuck but so far they have been able to wiggle in and out no issues.