Tank Two and Tank One Consolidation -- morleti botia (Skunk Loach) gets a new home

[botia]

At this point of my aquatics management -- I have discerned over the
years, the care prescription offered by the 'pet' retail in the U.S.,
to be wrong 99.9 percent of the time -- and each time, the 'care
advice' leads to spending more money on products, which turns out to be
unnecessary. Maybe this condition, is greed drivin -- maybe is is
simple negligence. An example of this, trend, is the temperature
condition 'requirement' for the morleti botia (common name; Skunk
Loach), as well its temperment. Based on multiple general reference
publications (Herbert R. Axelrod et all); this fish is "peaceful" --
which is, with no disrepect intended, a lie. This fish has
demonstrated quite a violent reaction to other fish, and at one point
nearly killed a chinese algae eater (Gyrinocheilus aymonieri) that was
introduced to it's tank, and no matter where the aymonieri fled, this
skunk loach took after it. Also, the temperature condition 'care
perscription' minimums are published much higher (requiring more money
for heaters and heater power) than what the species, in reality, needs.
For the past six months the botia I have had has gone with a heater,
and the temp no where near the published 'requirements.' Yesterday,
the botia was transfered to Tank Two, and went right to work eating the
common water snails. Five mosquito fish share the tank with the botia
(they are much more agile, and the botia gave up chase twenty minutes
post introduction), and thus far the situation is stable in Tank Two.
Even though the wood shrimp no longer occupies Tank Two, I still
produce infusoria batches (14-15IB), but much smaller batches and with
indoor lighting assistance. I am thinking of tansfering the tanks to my
new dorm room (no electricity usage bills), bringing on line the huge
400 MH lamp and restocking Tank Two with a new pair of Atyopsis
moluccensis. Already the algae growth misses the cleaning effects of
College. The issue is my time for this hobby, verse my formal studies.
I will resolve it this quarter -- I think. The approach this time
will, for sure, rely on a private breeder, or a retailer with some
quality assurance, via the web. The now empty of betta Tank Three has
the Java Ferns from Tank Two and are doing much better. If at all
possible I am going to take some microbiology classes at CSULA in order
to better understand the dynamics of this aquaculture prototype.
However, I am already swamped with classes, so that move is sort of up
in the air.

Present parameters; Tank Two is a 30 gallon tank holding about 24
gallons of fresh water, pH 7.6 and stable. Carbonate hardness of 2.2
and, water temp 22 C during the day dropping to 19 C during night. Low
levels of nitrate, stable. Daphnia population exhausted. Blood worms
population exhausted. Hydra population exhausted. Common water Snails
small and stable. Cyclops population small and stable. Java ferns
removed. Java moss (four bunches) stable and stopped growing. Amazon
swords (5) flora stable and spreading. Lotus (1) flora stable and
slowly growing. Sagittaria subulata, twenty eight plants, spreading.
UnID "I" worms population small and growing. Morleti Botia in good
condition -- about 5.6cm
"That is all."