First kuhli loach!

[mykidsmylife]

Awww. Sorry about the one that didn't make it but the others look wonderful. Love the video...and I love Madeline as much as the kuhlis.


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[fishorama]

So cute! Sorry about the 1 but the rest look good. There seems to be quite a bit of variation to p.kuhli. I think there's something about whether the bands go all the way around or not. Time will tell, meyeri get bigger. Have you looked at loaches.com?

 

[AfishIonado]

Congrats! I just got my first loach today, clown loach but a loach none the less


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[kcartwright856]

Thanks, everyone! I won't tell Madeline. It will go to her head!

I have been looking at loaches.com, actually. That's where I've been comparing pictures. The bands on the new loaches don't go all the way around, but it's pretty close. And they are bigger than the first guy, but that could be that the are just older.

I asked the employee if I could see the shipping invoice. They came from the same supplier and the P. kuhlii label, but I'm not sure how much that means. Maybe my first loach will start looking like the others as he grows? Like you said, time will tell!

I do have one concern. The "baby" has between hiding in his own cave, away from the others. I don't want them to reject him! It will break my heart if he is forced to live alone because he's smaller or looks different. Maybe I should get more if Petco's next batch comes in looking like my first loach.

Don't mind me. I'm just a concerned loach mama rambling, though I appreciate thoughts and comments if you all have them on the matter!

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[kcartwright856]

I just spoke with someone that recalled their kuhlis going from the picture of my baby to the picture of my older ones. I'm confident now that they are all P. kuhlii, but just two different ages. The baby is only around 2 inches and the juveniles are about 3 inches, so everyone still has a bit of growing to do!

I'm still watching closely to see if the bigger guys let the baby cuddle with them, or if the baby feels comfortable enough to go cuddle with the others. Not sure which way around it is!

I'll get some pictures of the tank up tomorrow!

 

[fishorama]

Nothing wrong with more loaches, lol. Give them some time to adjust. All pangios are wild caught except for a few accidental breedings. They may be the same species but from different collection areas or, like you said, just different ages.

 

[kcartwright856]

I think all has been well so far. A few days ago, one of the loaches was acting strangely, but I've heard that they are prone to doing that. So, I'm not sure if it was typical or atypical.

I found him in the morning floating at the top, but only kinda. Like, at a 45 degree angle with his snout just below the surface of the water. I thought for sure he was dead, so I put the net in to scoop him out. A few seconds after the net touched him, it was like he sprung back to life and slithered back to the bottom. A few hours later, I found him draped over a piece of driftwood. I heard that they like to drape over plants, so I tried to not let it bother me. Later still, he was at the bottom on his SIDE. That's when I really started to worry, so I checked on him often. Eventually, he righted himself, but stayed in that corner by his lonesome for the rest of the day.

It looks like everyone is back in the group, so I think that worrying time is over for now. Even the baby was in the pile! I'm glad for that. The only part that makes me angry is that they chose a tiny cranny of the rock cave that I put in for them. I'm hoping that when they reach full size, they won't all fit in there anymore and will move to the inside of the rock for a little more room.

The kuhli cave, as I call it, hidden nicely behind my crypt:

 

[dirtydawg10]

Nice! Like the video too. Like I said my cat loved "his" kuhli loach tank. Any time he heard me open the lid on the tank he would come running.

 

[kcartwright856]

Well.

All 6 of the kuhli loaches that I got last Thursday to accompany the baby have passed.

I've checked every water parameter. I keep a log of parameters and everything that happens in the tank, and nothing is out of order. The baby kuhli is doing just fine, as are my 5 otocinclus. Heck, the otos are even breeding.

The only thing I can guess is that the batch was bad.

Hopefully the store will get some more kuhli loaches in tomorrow. I'll call to see if they do, and then I'll wait one week to see if they are still alive at the store. THEN I will go get them.

I feel so terrible.

 

[dirtydawg10]

Sorry to hear that. Probably issues from shipping/acclimating. Like you said...let the store keep them a while to see if they live then buy them. I'd probably wait longer then a week too. Better luck next time.