View Full Version : Just bought some Khuli's
Cyberpaddy66
11-06-2007, 7:51 AM
As the title says...
We went out yesterday to look at some Khuli loaches as we need a few more bottom dwellers for our kitchen tank and when the GF saw then she couldn't resist :drool:
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa209/Cyberpaddy66/Animals/S5004332Large.jpg
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa209/Cyberpaddy66/Animals/S5004331Large.jpg
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa209/Cyberpaddy66/Animals/S5004338Large.jpg
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa209/Cyberpaddy66/Animals/S5004344Large.jpg
From what I can tell they are either Pangio semicincta (http://www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-semicincta) or Pangio Khulii (http://www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-kuhlii), but as they are so small (about 1.5 - 2 inches) I can't really tell.
Anyway I thought you would like to see them for yourself :headbang2:
destined_love7
11-06-2007, 11:07 AM
I saw these for the first time at my LFS last week and considered getting a couple. But I'm afraid I'm really close to being overstocked as it is and I'm waiting on some Green Fire Tetras. lol
jm1212
11-06-2007, 11:21 AM
nice finds! they look great
Nice pickups. I would hazard a guess first pic could be Pangio semicincta.
austinpetemo
11-06-2007, 9:05 PM
nice are there any specific requirements on these fish i might like to get one.
ronw007
11-06-2007, 9:34 PM
The only requirements that I know of, they tend to do better in groups and need hiding place's (driftwood, plant cover or rocks). I have 3 in a 29 gallon community tank with cory's, dwarf pleco, synodotis petricola and a couple of angels. The one's I have grew fairly quick (I have only had them for about 6 months and they have probably quadrupled in size, bought when very tiny). The only draw back that I have seen, or should I say not seen, they tend to hide most of the time.
Cyberpaddy66
11-07-2007, 6:01 AM
Yep, I've had them 3 days now and I've only seen 2 of them at the most at any one time, in fact I didn't even see a whole two as one of them was half under the bogwood LOL
This particular species is supposed to grow to a maximum 4" and these little guys (or gals) are already 2" long. The only pre-requisite I've found out about them is that they are either kept singly (not very nice imho) or in groups of at least 3, they tolerate quite low water qualities as they scavenge. They like soft substrates to dig and bury themselves in and a lot of plants to rummage about between (live or fake not specified) and hide under, they also like lots of hiding places for a fast escape (or so I've been told elsewhere) which will make them more curious and thus come out more. They are primarily nocturnal so to really get a good look at them I suggest turning off the main lights and putting on moon lights (if you have them) in the evening and chucking a couple of sinking pellets into the tank for them to sniff out.
i have 3 khuli's, if you make sure that there's enough hiding places they actually tend to come out more. mine are very active. they seemed to be very active during the day even though they are supposed to be nocturnal, i think its because mine have adjusted according to the feeding times. mine love sinking algae tablets. they are actually really easy to look after and when they are happy they will entertain you for hours!
they are very placid and shouldn't be kept with any fish that might harm them, even though they are really fast.
for more info you can go to loaches.com, they got lots of helpful info.
good luck!
Eupterus
11-07-2007, 10:18 AM
My experience differs because I found them rather difficult to keep. Almost half of mine have died despite good water conditions and a nice planted tank.
They seem to get hardier after they are well established at any rate and possibly after the weaker specimens have died off?.
Tasma
11-07-2007, 10:27 AM
Were yours maybe really stressed out during shipping? how long did you have them before they passed? i've had mine for almost a year, i lost two neons and 2 ghost/glass catfish to ich, but my khuli's were as happy as can be. they can be hard to feed though, i use sinking algae tablets and they love it.
bettagurl
11-07-2007, 10:59 AM
Mine(9 of them) are tough lil guys, they were only in my tank a few mins before they were eating some brine shrimp.
Cute lil guys, CP! :)
Cyberpaddy66
11-08-2007, 11:35 AM
Thanks for the advice eveyone, ours have started poking their heads out whenever I drop sinking pellets in their tank, the minnows don't bother them (one did have a little nosey but they both shot off to their respective corners pretty sharpish) much and I'm curently trying to get our amano's to spawn so they are not in the tank at the moment but when they were they actually spent a lot of time cosying up to the khuli's.
destined_love7
11-08-2007, 3:14 PM
So....I caved. I bought 2 today and I'm so glad that I did.
So....I caved. I bought 2 today and I'm so glad that I did.
I would recommend 3 as the minimum. The more, the better for them.
Cyberpaddy66
11-08-2007, 7:36 PM
Agreed, 3 is a minimum from all sources but I did read somewhere that 1 would be fine on it's own but I don't like that idea myself ;)
Better get yourself back to the LFS and get another one LOL
destined_love7
11-08-2007, 7:54 PM
LOL. I'll stop on the way home from work tomorrow. You talked me into it.
Lupin
11-08-2007, 10:13 PM
Agreed, 3 is a minimum from all sources but I did read somewhere that 1 would be fine on it's own but I don't like that idea myself ;)
Why would anyone like it? Kuhlis get less bolder when kept in less than three.;) You want to see them, then get a lot of these fish, not one or two.