Question on Kuhli Loaches...
- Thread starter JamisonBWolsh
- Start date
Hehe.. Yes.. I know you meant no more than 8 or 9. Which kuhli loach do YOU prefer? The solid black ones... or the normal orange/black striped ones? The colored ones are much more colorfull, yet not as active during the day as I am told. The black ones are active, yet boring in color. Especially with black sand...
do you know if the kuhli is available year long or seasonal? I been to most of the LFS and none of them have them. I know when I was not interested in them, they were easy to get. But now....
I think they are seasonal--this is one of the fish that is still predominantly wild caught. Very few breed in the home aquaria. When I first mentioned that mine had, I actually had people tell me I was mistaken. Like I somehow added a bunch of juveniles without knowing! 
I like both of them! I guess I'd have to say the striped ones are prettier, but I don't think they less active--they just don't like busy tanks. I can look over at my little 5 right now and see 3 of the 5, just nosing around the plants and sand. I think they get a bad rep because they are aften kept in such small groups--a pair isn't as active as a pile. I can vouch for that with my solids--when it was just the adult pair, they came out for feeding, or a few times in the day. Now, I see them constantly, nosing through the substrate, playing in the plants, all over. They have such cute faces!
I like both of them! I guess I'd have to say the striped ones are prettier, but I don't think they less active--they just don't like busy tanks. I can look over at my little 5 right now and see 3 of the 5, just nosing around the plants and sand. I think they get a bad rep because they are aften kept in such small groups--a pair isn't as active as a pile. I can vouch for that with my solids--when it was just the adult pair, they came out for feeding, or a few times in the day. Now, I see them constantly, nosing through the substrate, playing in the plants, all over. They have such cute faces!
Haha... yes, they are a NICE fish! I did read that VERY few people have bred them in the past. You are one of them, so you should be very proud of yourself! From what i read, they are hard to breed in a tank. In your opinion, should I get the black khuli now, and then wait for the 8 colored kuhli, or should I NOT get the black khuli, and wait for the colored kuhli?
As you said, the black kuhli will not "play" with the other khulis (when I get them) and will be lonely by himself. If i get the black one, then I would have to find 2 more so he wont be by himself. That would total 11 khulis and that might be to much. Also, having just one type instead of 2 might look better? what do you think? Thanks...
I did read that VERY few people have bred them in the past. You are one of them, so you should be very proud of yourself! From what i read, they are hard to breed in a tank. In your opinion, should I get the black khuli now, and then wait for the 8 colored kuhli, or should I NOT get the black khuli, and wait for the colored kuhli?As you said, the black kuhli will not "play" with the other khulis (when I get them) and will be lonely by himself. If i get the black one, then I would have to find 2 more so he wont be by himself. That would total 11 khulis and that might be to much. Also, having just one type instead of 2 might look better? what do you think? Thanks...
I would pass on the black. The reason I have a solo striped kuhli in with the pack of blacks is that he survived in a tank--he'd gotten under the UGF, and I didn't know about it until I tore the tank apart, months after he'd gone missing. I rescued him from the gravel, and put him in the 40 I setup. Felt bad, so tried to find him some friends, and found the blacks first. Bought a trio, had one jump. The striped never chummied up to the blacks, and it would be almost impossible to get him out of the tank now--they are dreadfully hard to catch.
I am proud of my little family. Wish I knew why they are so happy (there are at least 3 age classes in there now!) so I could share the information with others. Just this weekend, I did a water change and saw 4 of the little buggers, just under a half an inch. It amazing--they swim away, curl around a rock and blend in so well--you know it's there, but it's hard to see. The very small ones have taken to hanging out in the cave with my L168, who doesn't mind sharing his hidey hole with a pile of squirmy loaches.
I am proud of my little family. Wish I knew why they are so happy (there are at least 3 age classes in there now!) so I could share the information with others. Just this weekend, I did a water change and saw 4 of the little buggers, just under a half an inch. It amazing--they swim away, curl around a rock and blend in so well--you know it's there, but it's hard to see. The very small ones have taken to hanging out in the cave with my L168, who doesn't mind sharing his hidey hole with a pile of squirmy loaches.
breeding
The 3 or 4 accounts I've read of accidental breeding all had a cozy hide away, either a cave provided, or one the kuhlis created by digging under a plant, or a stand of plants so thick that it was cave-like.
So, I've gotten a bit of bogwood that has enough recesses in it for eggs to escape being eaten, and turned it face down in the gravel. The "door" faces away from the glass, but they do seem to have moved in.
I've been feeding shrimp pellets and a variey of other dry food, plus some live brine shrimp but the cardinals and tetras got all that. Love must be in the air, though, as the Serpae tetras were going at it this morning and no one wanted breakfast, I guess they had a caviar buffet. Maybe the kuhils got enough fresh eggs to stimulate their own hormones.
did you ever see your getting fat, or any spawning, or did the babies just show up?
The 3 or 4 accounts I've read of accidental breeding all had a cozy hide away, either a cave provided, or one the kuhlis created by digging under a plant, or a stand of plants so thick that it was cave-like.
So, I've gotten a bit of bogwood that has enough recesses in it for eggs to escape being eaten, and turned it face down in the gravel. The "door" faces away from the glass, but they do seem to have moved in.
I've been feeding shrimp pellets and a variey of other dry food, plus some live brine shrimp but the cardinals and tetras got all that. Love must be in the air, though, as the Serpae tetras were going at it this morning and no one wanted breakfast, I guess they had a caviar buffet. Maybe the kuhils got enough fresh eggs to stimulate their own hormones.
did you ever see your getting fat, or any spawning, or did the babies just show up?
They just showed up. When it was just the pair of them, neither fish was prone to spending much time out in the open. Now that there's a colony, I see the adults all the time, and I have noticed that the female gets a bit wider, more triangular shaped than the male. It's more noticable after the fact, when she's suddenly her normal sleek self. I can't confirm it, but I think the male is much more active--charging around the tank, then wiggling pass the female, then charging around again --as part of a courting behavior. Who knows-- could be coincidence.
I have removed some of the babies--I was sneaky. I waited until they'd curled up for the night, and pulled one of the chunks of wood out of the tank and put it in another tank. Managed to get 3 babies out that way!
I have removed some of the babies--I was sneaky. I waited until they'd curled up for the night, and pulled one of the chunks of wood out of the tank and put it in another tank. Managed to get 3 babies out that way!
