Bottom dwelling tankmates for Kuhli loaches

[drmommacat]

I really like the Kuhlis and what people say about them, so I am trying to figure out how to fit them into my three current tanks plus 1 future tank. I already have a lot of bottom dwellers, so here is a list of what I have. Keep in mind they ARE NOT all together but spread out through three tanks (92, 29, and 26gal) . The future tank is a 180, planned for the fall.

Pinstripe panaque
Gold nugget pleco
Bristlenose pleco - who is quite territorial and extremely busy
longfin albino BN pleco
5 sterbae cories
Spotted raphael catfish
Cuckoo catfish
3 synodontis lucipinnis - false cuckoos
2 pictus cats

Any of these strike you as good or bad tank mates for Kuhlis? I would love to get them but if not compatible I will hold off until some later time. :)

[ScottishFish]

Khulis are great tanks mates for everyone! If you provide stacks of bogwood, thisckets of plants, and shaded areas they will thrive. All of them sound pretty ok for khulis

[drmommacat]

YAY!!! What a great answer!!

I think the only ones I was really worried about are the pictus cats. They aren't mean but they crash around the tank and barge into everyone.

How about this for an idea: Could I start with 6 baby kuhlis in a 26 bowfront, (once its cycled), then move them to either the 92 or the 180 when they grow up?

How fast do they grow? I won't have the 180 until fall or winter, so could they stay in the 26 for that long? I would also have the pinstripe panaque in there, and probably a school of something....maybe danios, rasboras, or barbs, haven't decided which yet.

[ScottishFish]

Right, this is from experience here. Once you add khulis to a tank then that's there home, forever. They get in about the gravel, filter etc and can move lightning quick, so unless you drained your tank down to 1 inch of water and removed everything, you won't catch them. I'd say for your 29 10 khulis is a good idea, I have 14 in my 32g and they are great!!

[drmommacat]

OK great tip! Good to know. I will see if I can talk the hubby into 6-8 or so of the little cuties. And that number of khulis, plus a middle-tank-level school of something, plus a small pleco won't overload a 26? We have a Fluval canister filter for it.