Kuhli Loach and Filters

[Bloo]

Nope - there isn't the slightest bit of aggression in these little fish whatsoever ! They are very peaceful Yes they do come out and swim around and are lovely little things to watch
I'm sure they might do better in a group - as, as far as I know most loaches are quite sociable - but mine seem happy, healthy & active so that's all I can go by

 

[rosietoo]

I read in a fish book that you can keep one on it's own, but that 2 or more is better. I do find that advice on how many fish should be kept together varies considerably from place to place

 

[KentBlokey]

Thanks for the advice KentBlokey! That was one of my concerns actually - although they look gorgeous, I have to stand in the lfs with my nose pressed against the tank for ages before I spot one!

Bloozoo2, I was thinking along the same lines as you, and thought they would be ok in terms of size and waste. However, I may re-think and go for corys on the bottom instead...

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When they do make an appearance they are great to watch, but unfortunately that's not very often. Especially as they can hide in the smallest of spaces.

Re: Panda Cories. A lot of people say they have difficulty keeping them, I've had some for about 8 months, lost one mysteriously but the others have been fine. Another type of Cory I like are Albino's!

 

[rosietoo]

I think corys are fantastic, I love watching them in my tank - they are so amusing, I could watch them for hours!

 

[Teelie]

Live Aquaria often overstates the size of tanks the fish need. Not a bad thing considering most sites under-size the tank requirements. And those are Black Kuhlis, other species get more like 4-5" in length, like mine. But they are thinner fish and produce less waste so the inch per gallon rule doesn't apply well to them.

I have 5 in a 10 gallon who do fine. They are incredibly shy fish though and for the year I've had them, I've been uncertain if I still had all 5 until I took out all the decorations and saw them myself a month ago. Since then they've been slightly more active as I redid the tank layout but I see at most 3 at a time and usually only two of them in the open.

They won't go into a filter intake unless they have nowhere else to go or are scared and panic with nowhere close to go. Mine are all too big to fit into the intake but can reach the outflow if they want but there's mesh keeping them from the impeller.

Cories on the other hand, much more active fish but still somewhat shy even in larger groups. Whatever species you get, at least 3 of them is best but 5 or more is even better. I have 5 or 6 species and almost 20 altogether and all thriving. Mixing them is fine but you still need at least 3-5 of each species. In a 13 gallon though, that's not too many.

 

[specks]

I've got 4 kuhlis in a juwel tank & have had no problems with them & the filter intake. I did have 5 to start with but lost one not long ago, I think he was the one who got sucked up my gravel vac. he seemed ok at the time but in the end was a funny shape. All 4 of my kuhlis are about in the tank during the day & will always come to the front when I do my water changes. They share a cave with 2 panda & 3 albino corys. My sons kuhlis are seldom seen during daylight hours but they all came from the same batch at the lfs.

 

[shell4375]

I've got 3 kulhis 2 hang together and one is a loner on his own inside a shell. Can't say i've ever had probs with the filter though.

 

[Synirr]

I had two khulis together in my 10 gallon for a long time until recently when one got some kind of a weird ulcer on his tummy and consequently died, but I've never had any problems with them getting into the filter and 10 gallons is definitely large enough for them in my opinion. I think people often think otherwise because they are looking at the fish in terms of length only and not accounting for the fact that they are long and slender and don't produce much waste.

I personally like khulis better than cories, but I'm an oddball lover and that eel-like shape appeals to me. I think they do much better in groups and are less shy with a buddy or two, so I'll be getting two new pals for mine as soon as my LFS gets some in

 

[rosietoo]

Thanks for all your replies! Having read the last 3 posts, I may well go for a couple of Kuhlis, as I do think they are cute little fish.

I've decided not to go for cories in this tank, as all I'd be able to put in is 4 cories (about 12 inches of fish), and I really want some black phantoms!

 

[GSD]

off topic but yesterday i went to the lfs and guess what i saw.Khulis on sale!!!5 for £4 so i came back with some new arrivals.Theyre settling in fine and arnt anywhere near the filter..thanks everyone!

 

[Bloo]

Ahh well done ! Enjoy them. I'm sure they will settle in well and easily. That was a very good deal you got them for.

 

[rosietoo]

Ahhhh, hope your kuhlis settle in well! What a bargain. I'd love to hear what you think of them once they have had a chance to get used to their new home!

 

[caliskier]

When I cycled my tank several years ago, I had small fish and big slits in my filter. On got stuck in the grate and died. To fix this problem, I took an extra net I had laying around and cut the mesh off of it, then used a ziptie to hold it on. To clean it, I just slid the ziptie off of the pipe, clean the mesh, and slide the same ziptie back on over the mesh.

 

[Mordinbar]

I have 3 khulis in my ten gallon, (2 blacks and a striped one) and they do great together. They hang out in a little cave all day, and come swim around at night, and just at random times during the day. They are really active, and not shy at all.

Good Luck with yours

With the filter thing, I think that as long as you give them other easier places to hang out that they will leave your filter alone. I have a tank decoration, and incan statue like thing, that i broke the bottom edge off so theres a 1" hole. They all hang out in there, and stick their heads out when they are sleeping.