Hopes for New Fish

[Riso-chan]

Tomorrow, hopefully, I should be trading in my 4 swordtails for 4 kuhli loaches. My reason for this is that the swords have become to much for me to keep up with, and from what I read the loaches will help to keep my waste buildup down, as far as food anyway. I've always liked the eel-like fishes. Do you guys think this is a good move on my part to get these fish to help keep maintenance a little esier? Even though I'm still a bit new to this, I believe these fish will be a good choice for the niche I'm looking to fill. Can anyone share their own experiences with these kuhlis?

 

[flyfly]

kuhlis are pretty kuhl. I have four in my 20long. They dont "school" but they do seem to enjoy each others company. Mixing kuhlis and ottos seems to work out pretty good for cleanup, but the only drawback I can see is that they both love to hide. So, in a 55g, you may not see them much. Besides that, they are awesome, I enjoy mine a lot

After checking your sig, I might suggest raising both ottos and kuhlis to 6 apiece. And if you want a fish you can see more often, you cant go wrong with a cory

 

[Riso-chan]

That seems like a good idea, but wouldn't adding six apiece be overstocking? I guess I'm not sure what the stocking limit is for a 55gal tank.

 

[ashdavid]

Don't think you can get away with doing less maintenance, b/c just like any fish they need clean water. Jmo but your average once a week water change/gravel vac on bio-filtered tanks is still not enough, so even if your loaches do eat the remaining food, ect, they also will produce wastes. Any food that you put in the tank has to be taken out somehow, whether it is water changes or some other method of exporting nutrients. Therefore I recommend you keep up the regular maintenance that you are doing. A tank can never be to clean.

 

[threejjj]

I have 1 khuli(soon to be 3) in my 55 and see him all of the time. He is most active at the night and in the morning, but I usualy see him during the day. They are realy neat fish.

 

[Riso-chan]

Don't worry, I'll keep up the weeky maintenance, I know better... They'll probably clean more from the gravel than the swords do though. Can't wait to see what mine will be like. Today I called to see if the store had gotten them in, but they didn't, so I'll have to wait til next wenesday for the trade. Any answers on the stocking limit for a 55g tank?