diff --git a/ci/install_conda.sh b/ci/install_conda.sh
index 01b89807d164c..1db1e7fa6f571 100755
--- a/ci/install_conda.sh
+++ b/ci/install_conda.sh
@@ -78,16 +78,20 @@ conda config --set ssl_verify false || exit 1
 # Useful for debugging any issues with conda
 conda info -a || exit 1
 
+REQ="ci/requirements-${TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION}${JOB_TAG}.txt"
 conda create -n pandas python=$TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION || exit 1
-conda install -n pandas --file=ci/requirements-${TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION}${JOB_TAG}.txt || exit 1
+conda install -n pandas --file=${REQ} || exit 1
 
 conda install -n pandas pip setuptools nose || exit 1
 conda remove -n pandas pandas
 
 source activate pandas
 
-pip install -U blosc  # See https://github.com/pydata/pandas/pull/9783
-python -c 'import blosc; blosc.print_versions()'
+# we may have additional pip installs
+REQ="ci/requirements-${TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION}${JOB_TAG}.pip"
+if [ -e ${REQ} ]; then
+    pip install -r $REQ
+fi
 
 # set the compiler cache to work
 if [ "$IRON_TOKEN" ]; then
diff --git a/ci/requirements-2.6.pip b/ci/requirements-2.6.pip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..cf8e6b8b3d3a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/requirements-2.6.pip
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blosc
diff --git a/ci/requirements-2.7.pip b/ci/requirements-2.7.pip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..cf8e6b8b3d3a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/requirements-2.7.pip
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blosc
diff --git a/ci/requirements-2.7_LOCALE.pip b/ci/requirements-2.7_LOCALE.pip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..cf8e6b8b3d3a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/requirements-2.7_LOCALE.pip
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blosc
diff --git a/ci/requirements-3.3.pip b/ci/requirements-3.3.pip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..cf8e6b8b3d3a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/requirements-3.3.pip
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blosc
diff --git a/ci/requirements-3.4.pip b/ci/requirements-3.4.pip
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..cf8e6b8b3d3a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/requirements-3.4.pip
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+blosc
diff --git a/pandas/util/print_versions.py b/pandas/util/print_versions.py
index 88b3c94d3ea18..f0545e9949e24 100644
--- a/pandas/util/print_versions.py
+++ b/pandas/util/print_versions.py
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ def show_versions(as_json=False):
         ("patsy", lambda mod: mod.__version__),
         ("dateutil", lambda mod: mod.__version__),
         ("pytz", lambda mod: mod.VERSION),
+        ("blosc", lambda mod: mod.__version__),
         ("bottleneck", lambda mod: mod.__version__),
         ("tables", lambda mod: mod.__version__),
         ("numexpr", lambda mod: mod.__version__),