Are there any South American Loaches?

Or are we stuck with those from S.E.Asia?

nope there are all from asia

Pity, I'm loath to unbalance my tanks South American theme. I may have to setup a S.E.Asia Tank. How does this sound, in a 2 foot standard tank?

02 Betta's (M & F),
04 Lace Gourami,
06 Glass Catfish,
10 Green Tiger Barbs,
02 Clown loach (v.small),
04 Coolie loach.

..and lot's of plants (TBA).

clown loaches are best kept in groups and can reach up to 12 inch in size so a 2 foot tank is not ideal

Yeah, that's why I notated "v.small". I know some Fish-keepers don't agree with the idea, but I'm not opposed to returning large Loaches to the shop, in exchange for young ones.

I don't think I can avoid getting any, my Wife seem's very keen on Clown Loaches for some reason. And that opens the possiblity of perks for me, should I get them for her! Besides, Valentines Day is looming, and nothing says 'I love you!', more than a couple of Clown Loaches, does it?

How big of a group, do you think?

i like your style getting the fish you want but palming it of as a presie nice but i will still say you will need a group of clown loach to appreciate the natural behavior which in turn will require a bigger tank not in to returning fish my self as i think if you want to keep a certain fish then you should provide a sutible enviroment for them as surley thats what we should be striveing to achieve but that is just my oppinion

I guess it's a perspective thing. I've swapped, and given away, surplus fish from breeding. In that regard, I've probably hung onto far more than was practical. I've also given away a fish that grew and became aggressive toward other fish. It was in turn, exchanged by that person to a LFS, for the same reason.

I'm uncertain how long it'd take a Clown Loach to reach an unwieldy size. I'd hope to get a few years in. But it doesn't seem much different to a breeding Grow-out Tank. In actuality, it's probably better - plants, rocks, gravel. It has a suitable environment, until it out-grows it, then on to a new (hopefully) suitable environment.

As a rule, I don't buy fish with the intent to palm them off. And as I was (really!) 'on the level' about the Missus wanting this fish, maybe she won't want it to go when the time comes, and I'll get another tank out of it!

so you get the fish you want & then a nice new big tank i like your style but regards clown loaches they are in my oppinion a lovley fish and are slow growing so you might not get the new tank for a while if you do get some & you know you will cos the missus will love them & then you for getting her them be carefull if you ever need to medicate your tank as clowns are classed as a scaleless fish

I generally use Melafix and Pimafix, which I understand are reasonably 'easy going' on the Fish. But without going to the cabinet and reading the labels, most medications have a warning in that regard, and an alternate dosing rate.

I've had 4 clowns for 2 years and they haven't noticeably grown, but are spunky and healthy. They're in a 55-gallon and at first I was going to sadly find a new home for them when they started outgrowing the tank, but now my plan is to get a bigger tank, since I love my clowns! If my husband got me clowns or yoyos for V-day I'd be very very happy.

For medication, I've successfully used Quick Cure for ich (have never had ich since), and even a half dose of aquarium salt for a few weeks for some unremembered illness, and none of my loaches or cories have suffered from it.

clown loaches tend to get to about 6 inches in a tank i find, depending on food and water changes. tiger loahes and yoyos tend to grow to about 4 inches, khulis about 3-4 inches. i'm sure there must be a few others that stay small.

if you are after small loaches you could try botia sidthimunki (dwarf loach) which are the smallest of the genus they reach a size of about 2 1/4 inches / 5.5 cm. they come from northern india & northern thailand & are found in muddy lakes. they are a peacful, lively schooling fish which is very active durring the day this fish should be kept in schools & the tank is better with sand as a substrate as like all other loaches they can damage their barbels on the sharp edged gravel they are an omnivorous fish so feed live foods, flake, pellets etc etc