Normal Kuhli behavior?

[Durrg]

About a month ago I bought 3 Kuhli Loaches at the LFS to add to my community 20L tank. They've been pretty shy; typically hiding out in their caves or lounging about in the shadows, but i've noticed that they are easily scared. Sometimes if they are at the front of the aquarium and I walk past they go a little pale and race around the aquarium to find a place to hide.

Just recently, within maybe the past week and a half, I have noticed that in the morning when I wake up to go to work all three Kuhlis are rapidly swimming up and down in two corners of the fishtank. They've done this so much and so rapidly that the sandy substrate has divots from their laps up and down the water column. Their colors at this time seem a little washed out and by the time I get home from work they seem normal, just lazing about in their caves or out in the open (always in the shadows though) with strong coloration.

Is this behavior normal? They are housed with about 12 Zebra Danios, 6 adults and 6 juveniles born about 8 months ago, 2 Bamboo shrimp, some snails and dwarf shrimp. The tank has some Dwarf Hairgrass and Moneywort planted in it, but it has yet to grow out completely.

Thanks in advance!

[morgoth517]

My kuhli loaches use to do that, but i haven't noticed them doing so for quite some while now. I think back when I had less they would run their laps up the side of the tank. Now that I'm up to six of the little guys they don't seem to do it. I know when they are out and I suddenly approach the tank they freak out and duck for cover.

I would say that this is fairly normal behavior for Kuhli loaches. I suppose you could do a parameters check and make sure everything is right in the tank chemically. but if your other fish are doing fine then your probably alright. It doesn't hurt to err on the side of caution.

I just remembered. Water Changes. They use to do the kuhli dance right after i did a water change, but they no longer do that when I do my water changes. They must have gotten use to me.

I hope this was helpful.