Khuli Q.

[jaylin]

I'm thinking of getting a 6.6g bookshelf tank - it's narrow, long and kinda short. Sort of cool, anyway, I plan to use playsand, plant it lightly maybe stick in a small piece of drifwood and a few smooth river rocks or something and put a betta in. But I was thinking - 6.6g's ... one betta ... maybe I can add a few khulies?

What do you all think? And how many khulies if you think that will work?

[H3D]

I wouldn't use anything smaller than a 20 gallon for kuhlis.

[jaylin]

I wouldn't use anything smaller than a 20 gallon for kuhlis.

Answers and opinions are good, but I'd like to hear reasons why as well ... Why no smaller than a 20g?

[paperdragon]

loaches are very active fish, they need a lot of space to move around in. Plus with 4-6 kuhlis and a betta, I think you'd be going well over the stocking capacity for 6.6 gallons.

[DAVIDFBT]

Kuhlis are one of the most active types of loahces, they need space and they also need numbers. A 6 gallon tank just doesn't have enough space for a group of Kuhlis.

[fishorama]

I have 6 kuhlis in a 20g long, the minimum number I'd keep. They use all 30 inches when they dash around, a little less when "dancing".

I did have 2 very thin tiny ones in a 10g quarrantine for a couple months. They grew pretty fast to 2.5 inches.

[cam191919]

a 6.6 would be heaven for a betta thats been living in a cup, i hope that you do "rescue" one

[DAVIDFBT]

:iagree: You could still do a betta rescue, just no loaches. :)

[H3D]

:iagree: too!

[jaylin]

Ok, maybe you're not understanding ... It's a bookshelf tank ... it's 24" long. This makes no difference?

[jaylin]

Oh and ... no 6.6 for a betta unless I can think of something else (no snails) to put in with it. I have thought about dividing it, but ... I guess I was thinking 24" was plenty long for a few khulies to zoom back and forth.

[justahannah]

They also like to zoom up and down and every other direction available..they really need a lot of room with as active as they are. And as, Paperdragon said, 6.6 gallons with a group of kuhlis (they really do better in groups) and a betta would be overstocking it. 6.6g is 6.6g...even squished thin and short for extra length.

[H3D]

I have my 10 kuhlis in a 29 gallon and the tank definitely seems small for them. I am actually upgrading them into a 55 gallon next week.

[jaylin]

They also like to zoom up and down and every other direction available..they really need a lot of room with as active as they are. And as, Paperdragon said, 6.6 gallons with a group of kuhlis (they really do better in groups) and a betta would be overstocking it. 6.6g is 6.6g...even squished thin and short for extra length.

True, but I've never noted that khulies add much to the bioload of a tank. But, I'll nix that idea.

Any have any other ideas? I just can't bring myself to dedicate 6.6g's for one betta. But, it's a rather cool looking tank.

[H3D]

I just can't bring myself to dedicate 6.6g's for one betta.

A 6.6 gallon tank is barely big enough for a betta. If you want to get a tank that will give you some better options get a 20 gallon long (30"x12"x12").

[Mgamer20o0]

have you thought about some of the smaller fish?

maybe something like this? Pseudomugil gertrudae
http://members.optushome.com.au/chelmon/P_gertrudae_Cadell_River.jpg

[jaylin]

have you thought about some of the smaller fish?


Those are cool, I've never seen them before.

I'm not bent on using the tank for a betta. I have a place where it will fit real nice and if I can come up with a good enough idea for stocking it, I'll get it.

And those are really cool looking little fish. I'll have to look them up and get more info.

(and who said a 6.6g is not enough room for a betta? You can keep bettas happy and healthy in way less than that. I just personally don't like to mess with less than 2.5g's of water ...)

[DAVIDFBT]

6 gallons is good enough for a betta, 5 is generally the minimum for bettas to be comfortable.

[Kuhlifan]

Would kuhlis work? Yes and no. If you have good filtration, do weekly water changes and have live plants to freshen the water, the water quality would probably be fine. As for room to live, it's possible but will be cramped. I've had three kuhlis in a five gallon hex for almost two years and I'm wanting to move them on to something better. I love having them here on my desk at work, but after getting six black kuhlis for my tank at home, I can see how a smaller tank (and smaller group) can really change how they act.

They'll survive, but whether or not they'll be happy is another question. The size/shape of the tank could just work out perfectly for them, but if it doesn't they neither of you will be completely happy with the outcome. If you have a larger tank with suitable fish to move them to, try them out in the 6.6 and see. If they act happy and water quality stays good, then you've lucked out. If not, you could always brighten up your other tank with some kuhlis.

[cam191919]

least killifish are one of the smallest vertebrates in the americas, and fun to keep. they breed like guppys too. i can catch them in my own backyard. maybe look into it...

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ZNYUSo0usOtMWM:http://sofia.usgs.gov/geer/2003/posters/lh_hydropd/killifishx.jpg (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://sofia.usgs.gov/geer/2003/posters/lh_hydropd/killifishx.jpg&imgrefurl=http://sofia.usgs.gov/geer/2003/posters/lh_hydropd/&h=245&w=448&sz=13&hl=en&start=2&um=1&usg=__eUMpvhkGmgQolOUuKy5IL4F9wh8=&tbnid=ZNYUSo0usOtMWM:&tbnh=69&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dleast%2Bkillifish%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den% 26sa%3DG)

[hirschy75]

A 6.6 gallon tank is barely big enough for a betta. If you want to get a tank that will give you some better options get a 20 gallon long (30"x12"x12").

:lol: False statement. If you can keep a betta in a cup a 6.6 would be like heaven. Of course a 20 would be better for a betta but thats like saying a 175 would be better. Sometimes we can't always have huge tanks.

Sorry if that sounded mean, wasn't suppossed to.

[DAVIDFBT]

By most people's measurements, a 20 gallon long is by far a huge tank. If the OP can't get a 20 long, then they should not keep the Kuhlis in the 6 gallon tank.