How many Kuhlis in a 15g?

**LiL GinGeR** · 03-13-2011, 3:37 PM

I love these guys and I'd like to know the maximum I can have in my tank as I know they like company. My tank is 15US gallons.
Thank you

**reefdiver** · 03-13-2011, 5:03 PM

I would try 15. They just need a good hiding spot. Try 5 at a time tough.

**LiL GinGeR** · 03-14-2011, 11:55 AM

wow really? I thought they grew to 10cm?

**H2Ogal** · 03-14-2011, 12:59 PM

Is it a long 15g or a tall one? Please provide the dimensions. FYI, kuhlis need the biggest possible footprint because they are bottom feeders and love to race back and forth. Additional height is really wasted on them. (In general, long tanks accommodate more stock that tall tanks because of the increased surface area.)

Will this be a kuhlis-only tank, or will they have tankmates? If so, what other fish are you planning? That's going to have a big effect on how many you can keep.

For a really useful stocking calculator, check out aqadvisor.com.

**LiL GinGeR** · 03-15-2011, 1:01 PM

It's 60cm long,30cm in depth and 35cm high. I have some tetras, endless and pygmy corys in there and this is all I plan to get in this tank apart from kuhlis

**reefdiver** · 03-15-2011, 2:14 PM

if you really want to enjoy them you need at least 10.

**LiL GinGeR** · 03-16-2011, 1:31 AM

Okay so is that okay with my tank?

**reefdiver** · 03-16-2011, 6:36 AM

they will be ok. just make sure you give them a hiding spot.

**fishorama** · 03-16-2011, 11:59 AM

Sounds to me like your tank maybe stocked. If there's room, I'd add to the corys &/or tetras & wait to try kuhlis

**Jayhawk** · 03-28-2011, 9:30 PM

10 kuhlis in a 15 gallon already stocked tank? That seems like too many fish in a small tank. I wouldn't do 15 kuhlis in a 15 gallon tank, either...that's a heavy bioload even if they're thin, low bioloadish fisn.

I also disagree that you need 10 to enjoy them...I have a trio of black kuhlis in a 20 long. I'd like to add 3 more, but I'm waiting for some elderly variatus platys and harlequin rasboras to pass on to fee up bioload (other tank mates are my black paradise fish and a clown pleco).

Anyway...my 3 are active and out and about all day. Granted, the black kuhlis seem much more diurnal than standard kuhlis...but in a well planted tank, kuhlis tend to be rather active even in smaller numbers.

Just my $.02 worth...YMMV.

Eric