Dwarf Chain Loaches

[Ron Sower]

Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki.....

I have 4-5 of these fish in my 54g interspecific international community tank (much like our greater Seattle area..!) living peacefully with several other speicies of loaches, serpaes, apistos, pleco, dwarf neon rainbows, threadfin rainbows, dwarf pencils, threadfin rainbows , and SAEs. 


This morning they were grouping together, much as loaches do, and then stretchng out in almost a single file line across the front of the tank and rubbing themselve against the substrate.  It appeared that they were rubbing their bellies only.  There are 2 thin, trim males(?) and 2 gravid-appearing rounded females (?).  I don't notice any macroscopic growths on their outer bodies. 


My cursory research on the net this morning refers pretty much to only one account of these breeding in a hobbyiest tank (his name is Duff) and he missed the actual spawning process, just noticing fry after the fact.  What I've learned is that they usually breed in very large groups, 20-30 individuals or more, and that the commercial breeders use hormones to induce breeding.  Nothing so far on spawning behavior. 


Has anyone here attempted to breed this species with any success at all?  And can you describe the spawning behavior?


Tanks,

Ron

[PaulineMi]

This will be an interesting discussion. I understood this species to be nearly extinct in the wild and thought they were being captive bred. I have some in a community tank.

Looking forward to responses. In the meantime Google here I come. 

[Jo]

I googled them too! So many fish and so few tanks. I wish you success with yours! I don't think I've seen these in a LYS before. Very pretty fish!

[PaulineMi]

Here's an interesting article about them...

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3043

[Mugwump]

Good article, thanks...I haven't seen these around.

[sschind]

This will be an interesting discussion. I understood this species to be nearly extinct in the wild and thought they were being captive bred. I have some in a community tank.

Looking forward to responses. In the meantime Google here I come. 

They are being bred in captivity on la large scale through the use of hormones as Ron said but so far I am only aware of the one breeding in a hobbyists tank and that was more or less an accident. (sounds like the same report Ron saw)

These are awesome little fish and the more you have the more awesome they are.  If I had a 125 tank I'd have at least a couple dozen of them maybe even more.

[Ron Sower]

Update on my Dwarf Chain Loaches...
I now have about 15 of these guys in a 55g tank along with 4 swordtails and 6 Melotaenia sp. rainbows and some ottos and ABn's.  I've witnessed some really lengthy behavior amongst a pair that was probably mating, but with this many other large fish in the tank, the eggs were probably eaten quickly.

Anybody else doing anything with these guys?

[PaulineMi]

I have two chain loaches left in a 55 from a group I've had for awhile.  They and my dwarf Sumo loaches exhibit the behavior you're describing. Like you, my tank has a variety of other fish in it.

[PaulineMi]

Here's a photo of my chain loaches and one of the sumo loaches hanging out with them:

[Mugwump]

Nice pic (wish I could take those).....pretty fish and tank....

[Ron Sower]

I love both those little guys!

[sschind]

Here's a photo of my chain loaches and one of the sumo loaches hanging out with them:

Have you noticed any issues between the sumo and the sids.  I love them both but since they are both bottom dwellers I thought there might be problems.  I've never noticed either species causing problems with other fish however. 

[Mugwump]

Yowser!!!!! Hi Steve........

[Ron Sower]

Steve,

I keep both loaches but not in the same tank.  The sumos are really protective of their little cave spots fending off any other guys that come by; no matter what species.  They hunker back in the caves (purchased from Barb!!!) with just their heads poking out, and watch the world go by.  If someone gets too close, zoom! Out they come to chase the intruder away.  Really fun to watch!
This is an international, multicultural community tank, with border loaches, apistos, serpaes, harlequin ras, roseline shark, sterbai cories, threadfin rainbows, and a couple other guys.

For a while I had the DCL's in there with them and there was no negative effect on either species.

[PaulineMi]

I've had these guys for a few years now and there's never been any issues between them.  Their tank is 55 gallons, heavily planted with several large pieces of driftwood in it.