Kuhli Loach Help Please

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Cyberkat
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:47 pm
Location: Texas Gulf Coast

Kuhli Loach Help Please

Post by Cyberkat » Wed Jun 06, 2012 1:48 pm

Hey everyone,

I have a 40 g breeder tank that has community & S A Cichlid's which has 4 Pangio Kuhli & 2 Black Kuhli Loaches, 2 Med-Lrg Angel fish, 2 Rams, 2 Kribs, 4 Guppies and 4 Danio's. My Kuhli's are hiding just about all the time now and I don't know what to do. The first few months they all came out to play day and night then gradually they all started hiding. My two Black Kuhli's are the ones I usually find out and about but the other four Pangio Kuhli's stay hidden.

I changed out a couple "trouble maker" fish thinking that may have been the problem, didn't make much difference though.
I also added a square plastic plant 8x8 for the Kuhli's and baby fish to hide in to be on the safe side, I'd read it's better to have lots of hiding places for Kuhli's; since that time I rarely see them out though! Mostly I have plastic plants but I'm slowly adding live plants to the mix and I also have a couple of med size pieces of aquarium driftwood, slate and a lava rock so my tank is well planted with numerous places to hide. I keep an eye on my Angels and so far they don't seem to be an issue at this point either. Any suggestions, I really miss seeing these little guys out playing around???

starsplitter7
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Location: Tampa, Florida

Re: Kuhli Loach Help Please

Post by starsplitter7 » Thu Jun 07, 2012 11:28 am

What kind of SA cichlids do you have? My pangios come out at feeding time. How bright is the tank?

I would think some of your fish might be thinking of Pangio worms when you are not looking.

Cyberkat
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:47 pm
Location: Texas Gulf Coast

Re: Kuhli Loach Help Please

Post by Cyberkat » Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:29 pm

I have 2 of each of the following: Angel, Ram & Krib. Rams and Krib's are new, have had not quite 1 wk. Have had the Angels for about the same length of time as I have had the Kuhli's. I keep a close eye on them since they're approx 3" each now. They are maturing and I'm waiting to see if I have a potential pair or possibly 2 of the same sex. There is some minor fighting or possibly courtship going on currently, so I'm watching them closely. The Kuhli hiding started before the Angel's started acting up though. For lighting I use a floor lamp and a 16.5" LED on top of the canopy glass; not overly bright at all, really.

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DainBramage1991
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Location: Northern New England

Re: Kuhli Loach Help Please

Post by DainBramage1991 » Thu Jun 07, 2012 12:50 pm

Personally, I think that any kuhliis are going to be in trouble in a cichlid tank. Cichlids, as a rule, tend to be fiercely territorial and quite aggressive, and even the more peaceful species can exhibit these tendencies at times or when conditions are right. Your kuhliis are going to be in direct competition for cave space with your kribs, and the kribs WILL win in a fight. Worse yet, the loaches might even end up becoming lunch.

My suggestion is to re-home the kuhliis to a tank with less aggressive tankmates if you have the option to do so. Even if it means moving them to a smaller tank, I think they'll be better off for it. That's my opinion anyway.

Cyberkat
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:47 pm
Location: Texas Gulf Coast

Re: Kuhli Loach Help Please

Post by Cyberkat » Thu Jun 07, 2012 1:37 pm

SA Cichlids especially the ones I have are MUCH more mild than the African varieties of Cichlids and with the exception of the Angels all the rest are considered to be "dwarf" Cichlids. The type of Cichlids I have can all be kept in a community set up, which can't be done with most Cichlids. My Angels and the Kribs can be the most aggressive of the Cichlids that I have but usually only during breeding times. I have only ever had 1 other Kuhli in the past and at that time I had the same type of Cichlids in my tank, everyone got along fine. This time around I did my research and got 6 and they were out off and on and LOVED to play in the bubble's from the bubble stick but for the past 3 months or so they stay mostly hidden away. The Kuhli's REALLY like the plastic plant mat I put in the aquarium (an 8" square), in fact that's where all of them are most of the time. Also I just added a little patch of living "grass" that I hope can spread out and grow, everyone seems to be eating at it though so I don't know if that one will last or not, I think I'll need a replacement!

Is there a time during the year that Kuhli's go dormant or are more active or something??

**Kribs are actually an African variety of Cichlid and as far as I'm aware is the only African "dwarf" that can live in peace with other SA dwarf Cichlids.

[****b]All help & comments are appreciated, thanks guys!! :D [/b]

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chefkeith
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Location: Detroit

Re: Kuhli Loach Help Please

Post by chefkeith » Thu Jun 07, 2012 5:36 pm

I had a group of Kuhli's go missing for a few years. I couldn't find them until I was breaking down the tank and I discovered them underneath a large cave structure. Loaches and hiding go hand in hand, and I really don't think nothing of it anymore. If that's what they want, you should just embrace it. Give them a place to take shelter near the front of the tank where you might be able to see them poke their heads out every once in while.

Rock piles with smooth river stones work excellent for this. I wouldn't use lava rock though because they're too abrasive. The rock pile gives them shelter, but it's also open ended and less confining. They can worm and weave their way around the rocks in any direction.

Below is a picture of the rock pile in one of my tanks, it's a bit over-kill, but I can usually see them slithering around in the openings. I rarely see them swimming out in the open water and I'm fine with that. I've had them for about 8 years, so they ain't young adventurous fish anymore. The older they get, the more settled they become. Eventually they start thinking "been there, done that". Nothing new for them to see.
Image

Cyberkat
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Jun 06, 2012 12:47 pm
Location: Texas Gulf Coast

Re: Kuhli Loach Help Please

Post by Cyberkat » Fri Jun 08, 2012 12:24 am

I'm going out to buy some smooth stones, this will help with the hiding in the plastic plant issue for sure! Thanks so much for your post and adding the pic as well it really helped to see what you meant. I love watching these guys play and swim around so I hope mine don't pull a dissapearing act like your's did, that's a LONG time!! :D

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