Kuhli loach naughtiness

Lots of other fish--a rainbow shark, 5 turquoise rainbows, neons, blue tetras, 4 ancistrus plecos, a butterfly pleco, a chocolate pleco, 4 gouramies, an algae eater, a pair of dwarf puffers...Several amano shrimp...Not sure if I missed anyone? Wups, a foursome of cories as well.

The gouramies have since been moved to their own tank, and the others will be split up soon. I was shocked, simply because the tank is overstocked--I figured there would be too many spying neighbors around to permit breeding from any of the fish! I suspect that in the absence of so many voyeurs looking for a snack, a cave would be acceptable instead of the tunnel mine built. Guess they REALLY wanted to have a new generation, eh?
 
re your butterfly pleco

Didja know that a butterlfy pleco is not really a pleco it's a hillstream loach:)


Originally posted by OrionGirl
Lots of other fish--a rainbow shark, 5 turquoise rainbows, neons, blue tetras, 4 ancistrus plecos, a butterfly pleco, a chocolate pleco, 4 gouramies, an algae eater, a pair of dwarf puffers...Several amano shrimp...Not sure if I missed anyone? Wups, a foursome of cories as well.

The gouramies have since been moved to their own tank, and the others will be split up soon. I was shocked, simply because the tank is overstocked--I figured there would be too many spying neighbors around to permit breeding from any of the fish! I suspect that in the absence of so many voyeurs looking for a snack, a cave would be acceptable instead of the tunnel mine built. Guess they REALLY wanted to have a new generation, eh?
Click to expand...
 
Actually, it's not even that. It's a pulcher L168 ( http://www.planetcatfish.com/core/index.htm) . My LFS persists in calling them butterfly plecos, so the name sticks in my mind. They actually call the hillstream loaches CHINESE butterfly loaches, for whatever reason. I always forget to specify with my kid--he tends to be the shy fish of the tank. I know where he hides, but otherwise never see him.
 
Kudos to you Orion! My little kulhi has been through hell and back (twice) and I love the little guy. The only fish I have with a name (Andy). Whenever I lift up the rock at my LFS to net one, it's just a mass swirl of brown and orange. I'd like to see what it looks like 1/4 the size! Weird though about the pulcher. Pseudogastromyzon myersi is also called the butterfly loach and hillstream loach, also the Borneo sucker. Latin names should be a standard class for every kid in junior high!:p
 
Just an update for those who are interested. The kuhli loach breeding was not a fluke--they've done this before--and I think they will do it again...

I have to admit, I apparently haven't been paying very much attention to this tank. Thought I had--I regularly watch the tank, and do counts of all the fish. Of course, when I hit the expected number, I quit looking. Big mistake!

Cleaned the tank again today. Found there are at least three age classes in there--the original adults, at least 5 sub-adults that are about 2/3 the length of the adults, and at least 3 babies, that are no more than 3/4 of an inch.

I suspect that the babies spend a great deal of time buried. I am going to try watching the tank late at night with a red light, to see if the babies will come out for me then. I tried taking a pic today, but the light is such that only one small corner of the tank lacks glare.
 
Trying

Well, I've added a flat bit of driftwood that they can burrow under.

What sort of diet?
 
I feed a mix of Watley's community formula, blood worms, and Aqua Yum's mixture (scallops, brine, mussel mix), in addition to algae tabs, sinking carnivore pellets, frozen zucchini, and a mix of flakes. I feed the frozen foods, tabs and flake every other day, and they get 3or 4 half inch slices of zucchini once a week. I've seen the kuhlis go after everything except the flakes.

I do think that when they freak out, and go charging around the tank like mad cories that it might be part of courting. I've seen this behavior from only one of the adults, and it always comes to a rest in front of it's mate afterwards.
 
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