Kuhli substrate?

[Katy]

We put really fine sand in our kuhli tank under the (mis) understanding that they would like it. But we think it is actually too fine, and is too dense for them to dig in? We have never seen them burrowing at all in it, but when we had some anguilaris in a q-tank with big pebbles for substrate, they were zipping in and out like nobody's business. What do all you kuhli fans use? What substrates do they seem to enjoy the most?

[clint]

I like my gravel and then give them flat stones to hide under. My tank is near a year old and i see no barbel damage to any of my loaches.

How fine are you talking? as i used a colander to wash my 90's gravel, the result was a lot of fine almost silt like sand left over. Which i used in my 20g its so fine that it makes vacuuming difficult. If i ever, and i may yet, setup a kuhli only tank i would use something that had playground sand like density. Easy to vac and easy for the kuhlis to use as well. Going back to my 20g's sand, yes to fine might be too dense for them to effectively burrow under. You could leave things be and just give them some flat material to use as a hide spot. I think this is better anyways as it lets you still see them and gives them the security they seem to need. I lkie my kuhlis because i can see them do their thing. I've read some people never see there kuhlis, i have theories on this but thats another discussion.

[bigpow]

mine never burrow as well, even with 3M sand - my dojos, however, spend a lot of time burrowing with only their barbels outside the sand
my kuhlis like to nest inside the wood/java fern jungle - they look like snakes on trees

[loachmom]

I have pool filter sand in part of my tank and smooth small stones in another. I've never seen my kuhlis burrowing in the sand or the stones, but they do sift the sand through their gills. My kuhlis like to hang out under coconut shell halves and under the driftwood slab I have in their tank.

[Katy]

Yes, they have lots of things to hide under, including a Donna-inspired shelf, and they also love to drape themselves on plants, the filter, the heater... whatever they can. They are so funny!!!!

[TrebleClef84]

Our substrate is like white beach powder, and I have never seen our kuhli's dig either...but that is what I wanted. With the combination of the sand and lots of caves in a heavily planted tank, I see them more often than most do. As a matter of fact, I can usually spot all of them within a 3 day period.