Baby Kuhli Loaches

[lmaglalang]

I'm a newby aquarium hobbyist and I think I have a baby Kuhli loach. I don't know if I should do a water change (it's due for one) or just let the tank be.

I think I have a baby Kuhli loach because I have a red worm like shape that is as thin as thread... and it has a tail and burrows in the gravel. Plus it sticks close to the adult kuhli loaches.

What do I feed it? I have frozen food that I feed to my threadfin rainbows. I forget what the frozen food is called.. it starts with a D. It's in my freezer at home. The frozen food is tiny... would it be small enough for the baby loach?

Thanks

[lmaglalang]

It's frozen Daphnia

[shari2]

Hi lmaglalang and welcome to LOL.

What size tank do you have and what's in it? Any chance of getting some pictures? Would help a lot.

As for feeding, I am assuming that if it's survived thus far it's finding something to eat. . .wait for some of the khuli folks to chime in, and it would be good to make sure that that is exactly what it is.

...........edit

did you notice any of your khulis looking gravid? Fat in the belly and then suddenly slimmer? Any two particularly spending time together, or disappearing for a day or two?

[Mark in Vancouver]

HI and welcome to LOL.

If it is a baby Kuhli, it will be a first instance - as far as I know - of tank-bred Kuhlis. Personally, because this would be such an exceptional situation, I'd want to dismiss all other possibilities before assuming your Kuhlis have bred.

Can you tell us anything more about the number of Kuhlis you have, what species they might be, how long you've had them, and (as Shari says) if you noticed any gravid females recently. They would be very hard to miss.

Also, what other fish share the tank?

[Emma Turner]

Hi lmaglalang and welcome to Loaches Online.

This fairly recent thread documents the breeding of a Pangio species in captivity: http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=6200

Do you have any photos? (I realise this will be tricky due to the size).

Emma

[tattooedgemini]

i'd love to see pictures too... i wish my khulies would breed.. let us know if that is really what they are

[Diana]

Do the required water changes, but unless you know exactly where the baby is, I would avoid gravel vacuuming. Might squish the little guy.

[lmaglalang]

Sorry everyone!!! I didn't mean to cause any excitement. I really thought it was a baby Kuhli. Now, I'm pretty sure it's a live Tubifex worm.

I don't know how I got a live Tubifex worm. I don't even put any freeze dried worms into the tank.

[KLKelly]

I've never seen a tubifex worm. Someone on another forum somehow got leaches into her tank - she thinks it was with live plants.

Do you have live plants?

[lmaglalang]

Yes, I have 4 live plants.

Picture of Tubifex worm at this website.

http://www.hacklewing.net/worms.htm

Again, sorry to everyone!!!

[Blue]

No need to apologize. You meant well. The fact that we do like to expect babies in our tanks is often very exciting.

[mikev]

I've never seen a tubifex worm. Someone on another forum somehow got leaches into her tank - she thinks it was with live plants.

Wow! Leaches.... Do you still have the link, this sounds interesting....

[KLKelly]

ewww gross!!!!

I can't sit and watch my fish eat bloodworms - I have to leave the room. I couldn't imagine having a live one of those tubifex worms in my tank. BLECH!!!!

I can't find the pictures of the leaches but found the original posts when she did find them and another thread on debating treatment. (Dr. Roberts mentioned is an aquatic vet).

http://thegab.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p ... ches#35109

http://thegab.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t ... es&start=0

I hope to never ever see anything wiggly in my tanks. The worm in the broccoli a couple of weeks ago was bad enough.

[mikev]

Very interesting, thank you.

I can't sit and watch my fish eat bloodworms - I have to leave the room.

Hmm....the only thing that is better than watching loaches eating bloodworms is watching loaches eating live blackworms....