Kuhlii "filtering" sand?

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tender
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Location: Norway

Kuhlii "filtering" sand?

Post by tender » Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:44 pm

Hi!
Just a quick question. Do the Pangio Kuhlii "filter" the sand through the gills like for instance Corydoras?

My reason for asking is that I have never seen my kuhliis do this. I`ve seen them dig in the substrate making the sand go "everywhere" :lol: But not sand actually passing through the gills. Nor have I found any reference on the forum stating that this is typical of Pangio Kuhlii. However, I`ve read several posts on another forum stating that this is standard behaviour for Kuhliis. Much like the Corys. I`ve also seen a video where this happens.

So my question is: Is this a typical Kuhlii-behaviour or is it more indivadually based?

Kind regards
Marius

mickthefish
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Post by mickthefish » Thu Mar 05, 2009 7:52 pm

i've seen mine do it tender, it's got to be the norm if they live on sand, especially if you feed live food as i do.

mick
never take people at face value.

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tender
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Post by tender » Thu Mar 05, 2009 8:04 pm

Thanks Mick!
But is it a natural behaviour, or is it simply a consequence of the substrate we put them in, in our tanks?

mickthefish
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Post by mickthefish » Thu Mar 05, 2009 8:14 pm

i'm sure it is tender, as they mostly live over sandy areas, i doubt they would even think about expeling gravel through the gills,
thats why it's preferable to have them on a sandy base.

mick
never take people at face value.

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tender
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Post by tender » Thu Mar 05, 2009 8:24 pm

mickthefish wrote:i doubt they would even think about expeling gravel through the gills,mick
Ha-ha... yeah, that would be pretty stupid :lol: I often thought that the recommendation re. sand in loach-aquariums was due to prevent damage to the barbels if they were kept on sharp gravel. Not so much that this was theyre natural habitat. I`ve seen habitat pics where loaches seem to live on a quite rough substrate. But have always presumed that in the wild, this substrate has been "rounded" off, through millions of years of waterflow. Much different to the "man-made" substrate we often buy in the LFS.

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