Mixing in fish soon ( Need your Advice )

[scorpion-stinger]

Hey all!!  Can I put clown loaches with tin foil barbs and bala sharks??

Thanks all
Marc

[babblefish1960]

Not to be a spoiler, but let me just say that all three of those fish get very large, require vast amounts of water movement, and lots of space. I mean honestly, they like to be in groups, all three of them, and the tank size must not only be long, but large, you are talking of hundreds of gallons to have a happy bunch of fish, and an 8 foot tank is preferable, along with a very strong current from one end to the other. They are all beautiful fish, and groups of them can be fun to see, but for the most part, these are 3 species that really shouldn't be in pet stores without some sort of understanding what a large fish they really got to be in a short time.

You could put the 3 together, but the tinfoils and bala's are competitors for space and food, the loaches to a lesser extent.

My advice to you would be to take the time to search through the internet for sites that cater to the needs and habits of specific fish and examine and investigate what the general advice is for compatibility issues as well as ideal water parameters and decorating needs.

There are some very good sites that answer these sorts of questions thoroughly if you do a little research.

[Laura]

(Edit - I didn't say Babbles post before posting mine)

Although they would probably get along personality wise (I don't know much about tinfoils), they all get to be over a foot long and like to be in groups of their own.  If you're planning them for your 65 and want to be able to grow your fish to their adult size in that tank, I would suggest going for something smaller.

There are many smaller loaches (see loaches.com) which are peaceful, other 'shark looking' fish could include SAE or puntius denisonii (red line barbs - I'm biased as I have some) or pictus cats and there's lots of other barbs shaped the same as tinfoils that you would be able to keep as adults in the 65 gallon.

[scorpion-stinger]

Ok kool thanks for your responce I was thinking on getiting them really small now and next year planning on a 180 - 210 galoon tank. I'd like to get a 72x24x24 or 96x24x24 or so tank with 2 aquaclear 110 powerheads etc..

[scorpion-stinger]

and when they get big, with the tank next year will create a river tank etc...