Kuhli loach questions

**Taupo** · 09-01-2011, 01:21 AM

Hey everyone!

I have a 55gal tank which I recently added six Kuhlis to (about two weeks ago). It's planted and has driftwood. Other fish include Guppies, dwarf Gouramis, serpae tetra, black widow tetra and shrimp.

My main question is about food - I feed my regular fish a combination of high-quality pellets and flakes. Only some of the fish will eat the pellets and so a reasonable number land on the substrate. I feed them early morning, before I go to work.

One of the kuhlis (I named him Alfred) comes out to eat during feeding time. I love watching him nose around the gravel! He's the most hilarious little thing.

What I'm worried about is making sure the others get food. Alfred's the only one I ever see out, and even he will go back under the driftwood after a while. I know Kuhlis will often come out at night, so I wonder if I should be putting in some more pellets (or special algae wafers maybe?) when I turn the lights off. I've tried doing this with the pellets a few times since I got them, but I don't want to have excess food rotting in the tank either.

Secondly, would getting more Kuhlis make them more active? I've been told that with groups of six or more they'll spend a lot more time in the open, but as I said I have six and only see one. Is it just that the tank is too large for six to feel comfortable and I should get more? If so, how many more?

Any other suggestions are also appreciated. Thanks so much!

**ekfishlover2011** · 09-01-2011, 01:34 AM

Kuhliis, and loaches in general, are excellent scavengers. As long as there is small amounts of food like you say left over on the ground, they will find it, dont worry. I, like you, have never even when i had 10 kuhliis, had any really come out, so i cant help you there with that question. But yea, dont worry about food, they will find food, but if you really want to you can get some special sinking pellets and throw a few in every once in a while after turning off light at nite. I drop some sinking food in once or twice a week for mine, but they are fine without it because they scavenge. :)

**HEADIN** · 09-01-2011, 08:43 AM

U will find that if u provide more places, nooks n crannies for your kuhlis to hide in you will see them out alot more during the day.

It makes them feel safer knowin they always have somewhere they can retreat to if they feel the need so they venture out much more.

It wud do no harm to add a tiny amount atnite as they will scavange anyway for food.

**ekfishlover2011** · 09-01-2011, 01:49 PM

if i could take a picture of my tank without it being too big of file, id be able to show the AC just how many nooks and crannies i have in my tank. Still rarely see a loach unless i take it all away for cleaning and then they freak out because there's nowhere to go and i both of them. But im going o get 4 regular kuhliis to give my two remaining javas homes.

**Trillianne** · 09-01-2011, 03:25 PM

If you know that there is food they can get in the tank, which you are seeing one of them eating it, then you are likely fine. I can say they also like veggies and sinking wafers if you decide you want to mix it up and try different things.

Yes having a larger school will make them more comfortable too. They are a schooling fish, so they feel safest when they have friends to hang out with. 6 is really a very small school.

**Sagecat** · 10-16-2011, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Taupo

What I'm worried about is making sure the others get food. Alfred's the only one I ever see out, and even he will go back under the driftwood after a while. I know Kuhlis will often come out at night, so I wonder if I should be putting in some more pellets (or special algae wafers maybe?) when I turn the lights off. I've tried doing this with the pellets a few times since I got them, but I don't want to have excess food rotting in the tank either.

Secondly, would getting more Kuhlis make them more active? I've been told that with groups of six or more they'll spend a lot more time in the open, but as I said I have six and only see one. Is it just that the tank is too large for six to feel comfortable and I should get more? If so, how many more?

Any other suggestions are also appreciated. Thanks so much!

When it comes to feeding KLs, dont stress over it too much. They will find their own food, though, you can always add some bottom feeder food if you like. When I was a kid I had some KLs in a tank I had sitting in my room without filtration or water changes for near a year that did just fine. I thought everything in the tank died a long time previous (kids should never have a fish tank!) so I just left the tank and water alone. A year later I see some movement in the tank and lo and behold, all three of my KLs were alive and well. They are hard to kill, and will eat anything.

As to how many you should have, having six~ish or more will make hem more active during daylight, yes.

**WendysWorld** · 03-16-2012, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by Sagecat

When it comes to feeding KLs, dont stress over it too much. They will find their own food, though, you can always add some bottom feeder food if you like. When I was a kid I had some KLs in a tank I had sitting in my room without filtration or water changes for near a year that did just fine. I thought everything in the tank died a long time previous (kids should never have a fish tank!) so I just left the tank and water alone. A year later I see some movement in the tank and lo and behold, all three of my KLs were alive and well. They are hard to kill, and will eat anything.

As to how many you should have, having six~ish or more will make hem more active during daylight, yes.

Wow! So happy to read this thread! New tank still cycling. Read somewhere not to add bottom dwellers until tank is cycled. BUt read that info too late....already have six kuhli loaches. Love them to death. THey are hilarious! But I'm stressed if they will survive this cycling process and how to feed them without adding too much waste to the tank. They won't feed at same time with other fish. Only come out late in evening, during night, until very early morning. Hope all you folks are right about them finding their food!

**ScottishFish** · 03-16-2012, 04:31 PM

I have 14 and you can always see 2-6 at any one time in the tank. I've found that if you have a dense group of cabomba or elodea in the tank they will happily hang out in it. So I often have a group of them squirming around 7inches off the bottom in my cabomba

**Alfonso99** · 04-13-2012, 07:39 PM

Be question, do loaches get along with shrimp (cherry or bee)?

**ArkD'Julie** · 05-21-2012, 09:08 AM

I added 6 of them to my tank a few weeks ago! They're great! Proportionately to my tank size, I think I have a good deal of plant cover.... lot of low plants.... large chunk of java moss, driftwood... I also just put in a <gasp> artificial decoration. (been trying to not put anything fake in there...)

I have a small (about 8 inch) ship wreck thing and I just looked over (tank is next to computer) and looks like 4 or 5 of them are squirming around inside it. :) I bought it for them, so glad to see they're using it!