Excellent candidate for most planted aquariums.Very active in middle and lower levels of the aquarium.Very hardy and adaptable in aquariums with oxygen-rich water.Incredibly bold and active fish that almost never stops swimming and foraging.Beautiful pattern of black and tan/cream coloration with red tail.Its personality, appearance, and activity make it a truly exceptional species that is uniquely unrivaled. The Red Tail Zebra Loach is a truly magnificent highlight of the aquarium under the right conditions. We do not recommend keeping this fish with dwarf shrimp, and we recommend caution in keeping it with larger shrimp in a smaller tank. Please exercise care and observation if you are considering keeping the Red Tail Zebra Loach with ornamental snails or shrimp. This can cause extreme stress and starvation in the harassed snails over time. While the Red Tail Zebra Loach is not likely to directly prey on larger Mystery, Nerite, Trapdoor, and other snails, it may incessantly harass them in a smaller tank. This is very useful in helping reduce “pest snails” and other invasive invertebrates, but must also be considered with ornamental snails and shrimp. The Red Tail Zebra Loach, like most typical loaches, often preys on tiny worms, shrimp, and snails. In a spacious tank, it can also be kept with other bottom-dwelling fish that are not too timid to be outcompeted at feeding time. It is an excellent tankmate for most rasboras, tetras, danios, livebearers, and other schooling fish and larger invertebrates (such as Amano Shrimp, Bamboo and Green Lace Shrimp, Vampire Shrimp) that inhabit the middle and upper levels of the water column. The Red Tail Zebra Loach will thrive in a planted aquarium with very clean, well-maintained, high-oxygen water of moderate to high water flow and is generally peaceful with other species of fish, although its boisterous nature can be stressful to other exceptionally passive fish in smaller tanks. However, if the Red Tail Zebra Loach is kept solitaryily or in too small of a group, it can become withdrawn or aggressive. As long as the school includes at least 6-8 specimens in an aquarium of appropriate size, aggression or bullying within the school will be minimal. While this behavior may seem aggressive, it generally involves no real fighting and results in an exceptional level of activity. It exhibits a very sophisticated schooling behavior and social hierarchy where each individual species constantly strives to be the “leader of the school” by swimming to the front of the group. The Red Tail Zebra Loach is an exceptionally active species that also needs plenty of clear room in the aquarium for swimming and exploring. It lives in areas of little plant foliage, but it will be completely at home in a heavily planted tank as long as oxygenation and water flow are consistently high. Plenty of cover is necessary for this species and will ensure the most activity, best coloration, and least stress. This fish can even be a prime candidate for river tank setups and can cohabitate nicely with hillstream loaches and Stiphodon gobies as well as other inhabitants of such turbulent waterways. It also must include oxygen-rich water and significant areas of high water flow. The aquarium of the Red Tail Zebra Loach should include plenty of rockwork and driftwood. More importantly, it requires highly-oxygenated, fast-flowing water in a setup similar to hillstream loaches. This loach is native to shallow, oxygen rich waters that include terrain covered in biofilm and algae, so it also requires a supplementary amount of vegetable matter. It will often accept high quality dry foods, but its diet should also include regular offerings of live/frozen meaty foods of invertebrate origin. The Red Tail Zebra Loach is an omnivorous micropredator requiring a diet of meaty foods regularly supplemented with vegetable and possibly even a small amount of fruit matter. Its small size also makes it ideal for the planted aquarium, where it will diligently seek out microinvertebrates and "pest snails" as prey, keeping nearly all of the planted tank "pest invertebrates" at bay or even nonexistent. It is an exceptionally active and visually attractive species that is generally peaceful, especially when kept in groups of 6-8 or more in an amply-sized aquarium with plenty of cover and decor. The Red Tail Zebra AKA Burmese Border Sand Loach ( Schistura mahnerti), is a relatively small member of the loach/botia family indigenous to Thailand and Myanmar. It is very animated, active, and full of personality! The Red Tail Zebra Loach is an excellent bottom dweller and scavenger for the planted aquarium.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |