Kuhli Vs Java Loaches

[RCA]

There has been a lot of discussion about these lovely Loaches that I though it would be a good idea to start a new Topic for ease of finding the information when we need it ...
 
One such discussion took place here but as we were going off topic the final post is quoted below:
 

Extracted from this Topic
 
TheStretchedElf, on 3rd May 2013 - 07:26 said
 

Yes Java Loaches are plain but you see them 

  I have both so you could mix them, here are a couple of videos of them...
 
Java Loach Ballet
 
 
Pangio oblonga (Java Loach, Black kuhli) feeding time

Wow, those Javas are active little critters aren't they!

 
Yup, that is why I have grown to 

 them more than my Kuhlis.  Only problem is they are harder to get hold off as they do not generally sell as well as the Kuhlis.
 
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This was another interesting Topic I thought would be good to add: Kuhlis - Big Increase In Activity
 
Enjoy the Kuhli/Java Dances...
 

~ Don't forget to VOTE for your favourite ~ ​

You can only have one choice to force you into a decision but then you can comment further here ...​

 
 

 

[Lunar Jetman]

I thought for a second you were setting up a punch up between two fish!! Khulis for me!

 

[RCA]

I thought for a second you were setting up a punch up between two fish!! Khulis for me!

 
LOL, can you explain why you prefer Kuhlis?

 

[TallTree01]

Aren't java loaches just black variants of kuhlis?

The kuhlis are more colorful IMO.

 

[TheStretchedElf]

I've voted kuhlis, by which I mean banded kuhlis like these

[video]http/youtu.be/AJ76diVJJ5U[/video]

I know kuhlis are more shy than Javas and will burrow in the substrate but I imagine that's part of the fun of having them.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

I thought for a second you were setting up a punch up between two fish!! Khulis for me!

 
LOL, can you explain why you prefer Kuhlis?

I've had Khulis before and looked at the Java loach videos posted above and thought they looked a little plain.

 

[RCA]

Indeed I believe the Java Loaches can look plain, but I find them very entertaining and not as shy, so that makes up for being plain me thinks ...
 
There is also this older topic that I have just been made aware of "Different Species Of Kuhli Loach", so thought I would link it in here for further thoughts on these interesting fish.

 

[dredgy]

My favourite would be the Half Banded Kuhlis, which StretchedElf posted above. Mainly due to the fact that they get so big and are always out scavenging around.

 

[RCA]

I notice you have 11 Kuhlis, I should have 9 now in my main tank and do not see them very often, and then never the full quota, only really the Javas.

 

[Baccus]

I have both the striped khuli (approx. 13 now) and the black (approx. 6) and the black ones seem a lot more timid and flighty than my striped. The only time I really get to see half of the mob is when they have been fed or when they are all lounging about some of the timber roots in their tank. All that said the only reason I only have the 6 black (java) khuli loaches is because they really are not all that common in my area and I rarely ever see them for sale.

 

[dredgy]

I notice you have 11 Kuhlis, I should have 9 now in my main tank and do not see them very often, and then never the full quota, only really the Javas.

 
I have 11, I see 10 day to day. They all spend time crawling around, my black kuhli loach (java - and I think I technically only have one) spends most of his time in a tiny cave about his body width, and just sticks the front half of his body out to eat. The other 4 "black" kuhlis I have are - I'm fairly sure - the cinnamon type. It's so hard to classify them all. Either way, the other 4 black ones live in the space between the glass and my pump but spend a large amount of time foraginh. 
 
Mine never do the "ballet" thing except after a large water change or something drastic being changes in the tank. I always took it as a sign of stress, since my striped ones usually do it with the black ones, though when the black ones were first introduced into the tank they took alot longer to settle down and were constantly zipping back in forth, until they found their hiding places.
 
 
EDIT: Just checked out my tank by the light of my phone and a black Kuhli was crawling around right out the front of the tank. It is almost certainly a cinnamon Kuhli and is ENOURMOUS. Has to be 10+cm 

 

[RCA]

It is weird that we all have different experiences with these fish with Baccus being the opposite of my experience.  Dredgy, I wonder why you see your Kuhli's in batches of 10, whereas the most I tend to see at anyone time is about 4?  Is there a picture of your tank anywhere on the forum?  Mine is the one in my signature and also here, as you can see there are a lot of hiding places so I am surprised I do not see them more as hopefully they should feel secure.

 

[dredgy]

Yea in my other thread, or here:
 
http/dredgy.com/fishpix/7.jpg
 
I wish I had the aquascaping skill that you do, but mine's really just a lot of plants shoved in and some rocks. I never see them in groups of 10 per se, but all are usually active, coming in and out of hiding. I see 10 every day.
 
I'll get some pics of them in the daylight tomorrow and post back

 

[RCA]

Yea in my other thread, or here:
 
http/dredgy.com/fishpix/7.jpg
 
I wish I had the aquascaping skill that you do, but mine's really just a lot of plants shoved in and some rocks. I never see them in groups of 10 per se, but all are usually active, coming in and out of hiding. I see 10 every day.
 
I'll get some pics of them in the daylight tomorrow and post back

Thanks for the image, looks like a good tank, what is the rock on the left?
 

 for your kind comments.  If you want any hints/tips feel free to ask.
 
Look forward to more pics of them

 

[RCA]

I picked up five, well six, Kuhli's yesterday.  It was funny as I asked if I bought five did I get one free and was told, NO.  My sister asked well if we buy six do we get one free, NO.  So I asked for five, one extra got in the bag so he said I could have it for free 

 

 
 
Then I at last found somewhere with Java Loaches so took the lot, three for a friend and the rest for me.  I think I got six, it was a hectic day so cannot really remember.
 
They are all now in quarantine for three weeks.
 
However, my reason for posting is that one of the Java Loaches looks very different to any I have seen before.  It is very long and thin and is black with a copper sheen to its underbelly.  Even the guy in the store said it was possibly a different species.  I tried to get a picture in the bag but you can imagine it was not easy with all those Javas together and limited time.  Hopefully I will get one when they get transferred to the main tank.  I have been unable to identify this fish, and have looked at Different Species Of Kuhli Loach and Loaches.com.  The closest I would say it is possibly is Pangio anguillaris, however it is a lot darker than this fish. 
 
Does anyone have any idea what it could be?