How to Clean Gravel With Loaches

Loaches are wonderful freshwater aquarium fish, but like other bottom-dwelling fish it can be hazardous to clean the gravel with a siphon. If the loaches hide under the gravel or between plants or decorations, you run the risk of sucking the fish through the siphon. This can seriously stress or even kill the fish. There are a few tips for how to help protect the fish from the siphon and what to do if you accidentally catch a loach.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium siphon hose
  • Toothpicks
  • Rubber band
  • Large spoon
  • Bucket
  • Powerhead
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Instructions

    • 1

      Attach six long toothpicks around the outside of the wide end of the siphon tube with a rubber band. Cut the sharp points off of the toothpicks. Slowly insert them into the gravel until the siphon is just below the surface of the gravel. Keep the toothpicks in the gravel and slowly and carefully siphon the detritus from the gravel. The toothpicks will act as a fence and help prevent the loaches from being sucked into the siphon.

    • 2

      Use a spoon to prod around in the gravel for the loach. When you scare the loach from the gravel, keep a close eye on it and siphon the gravel clean. This can be used in conjunction with the toothpicks.

    • 3

      Siphon the water into a clean, aquarium-safe bucket. This way if the loach is caught in the siphon, it will have a better chance of surviving.

    • 4

      Instead of using a siphon, use a small powerhead to blow water onto the gravel. This will release the detritus (fish waste) from the surface of the gravel and push it into the water column. It should then be taken up by the aquarium filtration system.