Can i keep Chinese hillstreem loaches in a tropical comunity?

Question

they are sold as tropical fish at my local pet shop

Answer 1

Wow you do ask alot of questions :P

Yes they can be kept in a tropical community tank, just try and keep the temperatures in the lower 70's since they prefer cooler water. But yes, they can survive in a tropical tank (lol please don't ask another question :P)

E-mail me for any questions!

Answer 2

Yes you can, they are tropical community fish. Although they are naturally often found in waters of 72-76 degrees fahrenheit, they actually do quite well in temperatures up 82 degrees. If actually find the hillstream loaches I keep in my 78 degree tank do better than the ones in my coldwater tank. They are cute little fish, but are very gentle and sensitive, and have to be kept with slow, gentle, peaceful fish. They cannot go with angelfish, sharks, gouramis, etc. Even my dwarf gourami (which are generally peaceful fish) likes to pick on the chinese hillstream loach in in my 29 gal. tank, so better tankmates would include most tetras, mollies, guppies, platies, rasboras, danios, etc. Doesn't go well with plecos, including because there isn't enough algae to feed them both. (Even though Chinese Hillstream loaches are loaches, they behave similarly to plecos and are often called Butterfly plecostomuses.) Some varieties of hillstream loaches are not as "pleco-like" as others, some even eat flake food, but most eat algae (and algae wafers.) The benefit of CHLs to plecos is that hillstream loaches only get to be about 4 inches long. (When they reach full size, they will sometimes eat snails, so watch out!) They prefer some salt in their water. Good Luck!