Just bought some kuhlis - quick question

[Jeddi]

Just bought some regular kuhli loaches.. 3 of them. Going to buy 3 more when they have more in stock. Anyway, is it normal for the underside around the head area to be reddish in color? I noticed this and I'm just a little paranoid. Thanks.

[Jeddi]

Poor things must be scared to death. They're swimming funny all around the tank...

[Jeddi]

I must not have acclimated them long enough... I found one floating at the top and I thought it was dead until it starting swimming away when I tried to net it.

[Jeddi]

Just checked this morning -- I found one lying upside down, head floating and tail on the gravel at a 45 degree angel, he was dead :( I saw another one squirming around, breathing heavily, looked like he was trying to burrow into the gravel but it just wasn't working out for him.The other one was either burrowed or under something, I saw him swimming around after I lifted up the driftwood, but I couldn't see where he came from.

Going to check my ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels. I have a feeling that without proper acclimation + the added bioload, they were already stressed and the toxicity didn't help.

the bag sank somehow after I opened it, so they were only able to get adjusted to the temperature.

[R2 Ranch]

So sorry to hear about your loss..... :scry:

[Jeddi]

I just tested the water, no ammonia or nitrites. I guess I'll just have to be more careful next time I'm acclimating.

I have 2 now, I'll probably buy 4 more next time when I get my other new fish.

[FishGirl-Seattle]

Sorry to hear you lost your little guys. I also just recently added kuhlies to my tank and they don't seem to be eating very much. Based on what you experienced and how mine are it seems like like they are a sensitive fish. I hope you have better luck with your new ones!

[Jeddi]

Sorry to hear you lost your little guys. I also just recently added kuhlies to my tank and they don't seem to be eating very much. Based on what you experienced and how mine are it seems like like they are a sensitive fish. I hope you have better luck with your new ones!
Thanks! One of them is probably going to die soon, he's not hiding (which he probably should be) and barely moving, even when I put my hand down near him. He's also breathing rapidly and sometimes twisting onto his side-- He's also the one I found floating on the top of the tank after I first got him. I'm a bit tempted to put him out of his misery but I think I'll just wait and see if he pulls through. I might make the decision of bringing these guys back to the store if I'm stuck with only 1 or 2 of them, rather than just buying a bunch more.

[Tango]

I'm sorry your kuhlies are not doing very well. I am unsure in what advice to give you. I have two of my own whom I only see when I clean the tank or if I stay up late and turn on a light while their out searching for food. Since your nitrate and ammonia levels were fine, the only thing I can think of that might be a problem is your pH level. Did you check that?

[Lady Hobbs]

How long since you've done a water change? You should have done a large water change and checked the water before they were even added. Is there de-chlorinator in your water?

[Jeddi]

How long since you've done a water change? You should have done a large water change and checked the water before they were even added. Is there de-chlorinator in your water?
I did 2 25% water changes the 2 days before getting them, and another several days before that. :hmm3grin2orange: Nitrates are only at 5ppm.

Tango- My ph is very high and I already knew that-- It's at least 7.6 if not higher. I have 9 cherry barbs and a dwarf gourami who seem to be thriving in that water. I don't think it would be the ph, though-- One of the kuhlis seems to be doing fine, I lifted up the driftwood searching for him and he was swimming around the whole tank looking for a new hiding place just like they were doing at the lfs.

[Jeddi]

Well I just checked back-- The one who was acting sickly earlier finally passed. :( Only things I think could've gone wrong;

1) my acclimation mistake took them to their grave

2) they were wild-caught and couldn't stand my high ph

3) they were sick-- There was a dead one under a rock when the guy at the lfs lifted it up; The other one seemed fine though. I just assumed the dead one was smashed, the others were acting fine.

I hope the other one isn't dead somewhere under the gravel. I lifted everything up looking for him and he was nowhere to be found. If I don't find him by tomorrow evening I'll dig around in the gravel, but I'd rather not. If he's still alive I'm just going to return him and stick to my original plan of a school of cories...

I buried the dead one by my zucchini. Figured it was the best thing to do; My fish are going to be eating those zucchinis :)

[Tango]

I'm sorry about your loss.

About your pH, when you say high do you mean above 7? Kuhlie's prefer a pH of about 6-7.

I'm sorry that it didn't work out for you. I find kuhlie loaches to be great for the aquarium (mine at least).

[mac]

[QUOTE=Tango]

About your pH, when you say high do you mean above 7? Kuhlie's prefer a pH of about 6-7.
/QUOTE]

Dose not matter about the pH. Stability is all that they need. Mine make it in 7.4 fine. All fish can alcimitize, given time and proper care when adding them to the tank. Drip aclimitization best..

By the sound of it, the Kulies must have had a ruff time. If all seems right from what I have read, I would not shop at that place if they are hard on the fish.

mac

[Jeddi]

The ph is around 8 or so. I know most fish don't mind all that much about their ph as long as they have time to get used to it, but that was me at fault. I'm not sure if you read but the bag fell in the water after I opened it. :( Atleast one survived, I suppose. I'm still not sure if I should buy more or just return the one left and get some cories. (or maybe get both :P)

[DragonGoby]

Well, Personally if the last one is correct and eat well, I won't return it...
If you want more, perhaps you could try a quarantine tank? It's a good way to keep in check illness in your main tank and to adapt your fish to the new environment. We're doing it for every fish we buy.
Kuhli are fish that like the weirdest place to hide, the smaller the better. So don't spend too much time trying to find the other, because it could stress it or the other fish... They like to hide and you'll probably see them at night or when you're doing your water change.

Good luck!

[Jeddi]

Oh, forgot to mention I found the other poking his head out from the driftwood :P

I'd do a qt tank, but I just don't have the space for it atm.

[Lindsey]

That sucks, sorry you lost the other 2. I lost a member of my group a few weeks back and seemingly for no reason, so maybe kuhlis are more susceptible to stress. At least you've still got one that seems healthy.

[mac]

I never have seen any issue with them in stress. I have had them shiped to me, by plane van and over night and they have been fine. Never a bother or stressed, dashing around the bag. Just think they were sick, damaged from the shop IME.

mac

[WhiteDevil]

I think yours might have been sick to begin with. also were they kuhlli's or oblonga's? kuhlli's are banded, Oblonga's are black(they are cousins). I breed the pangio oblonga's and ship them quite often. Ive never had a complaint.


I can for sure tell you that nearly every pangio that is in a store is wild. They are very hard to breed in captivity let alone community tanks but another guy and myself breed them in community tanks. The smaller the substrate the better for them. as far as sharpness I wouldnt worry unless you are using busted glass for substrate.

Acclimation, I float them for 3 minutes with bag tied, then 27 minutes adding 8oz. of tank water every 10 minutes while floating. Ive never had any issues like this. The tank they breed in is 8.4 Ph tap w/ dechlor as well as a 6.2Ph RO supplied tank that I put a trio into last week.

Sorry for your loss.

I love these little guys, mine are hand fed like all my fish.(yes it does feel quite weird when they rope your fingers so they can show on a chunk of bloodworms.)

Also, depending on the sub species the red/pink gill plates and underside are normal.

[Ashley]

I was going to buy more to add to my tank, and my lfs had just got a shipment in. They told me to wait as they don't ship very well. They are very sensitive, and take a little bit to adjust. When they do adjust they are great little guys. Try again, make sure to take your time acclimating them.