No Show Khuli Loaches

[372xp]

3 khuli loaches fiver. Sounded like a good deal to me, I have room for them in my betta sorrority, and they look pretty cool and come from the same part of the world as my bettas.
That was a little over 2 weeks ago. I saw them when they went in the tank and after the weekly water change the next day. Havnt seen them since. I shifted rocks and bogwood looking for them this evening during a water change, not even a glimpse.
Where are they?
There are lots of hiding places in the tank ( tank#3 in april tank of the month competition) so how do I find them? I need to know if they are ok.

 

[DrRob]

Aye, they do that. Lovely fish, some people are obsessed with them, and for good reason, but they do like to burrow and hide. Watch your decor if you remove it for cleaning as they often hide in crevices. They also have a habit of finding their way into filters.
 
If you want to see more of them then, bizarrely you want a lot of cover so that they feel confident in the open, and they'll always be happier in bigger groups, which may be why you're not seeing much of yours, ideally at least 6 and I'd probably be trying to stock them in double figures myself.

 

[TallTree01]

Kuhlis are always hiding. To see them more you need a bigger group. If you think about it it's good because it rewarding when you finally see them. Makes you feel like you earned it ya know....

 

[372xp]

Thanks, I think the tank is getting near to fully stocked. So I am not sue I can fit any more in. The tank has a filter that runs at 600l/h which is 10x tank volume and you have to take the lids of the cartridges to clean any gloop out of the media and they cant get in there. I dont think I can put,( well I could of course) more cover in, maybe some more plants. Is there any plants they like in particular?

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Have to say, I got a couple once and put them in only to never see them again...

 

[TallTree01]

^ a couple.
You'll need to get 8+ to see any good action.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Good action? They literally went in and disappeared, never to be seen again! I think I had about 4-5 of them. It was over 20 years ago so I can't be sure!

 

[TallTree01]

lol. I had 1 once, I put it in and hadn't seen it for 9-10 months! One day during a water change there was someing frantically darting about. At that point I was like ' holy **** , that thing is bloody indestructible! '. I think he's dead now.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

lol. I'd have been happy with that! I just never saw them again which was a shame as I really like the look of them.

 

[TallTree01]

The closest thing to an eel we can get with freshwater and small(ish) tanks.

 

[fluttermoth]

I've got three that I was given, and they're out most of the time. It is a very peaceful (glowlight danios, panda corydoras and an ancient clown plec), well planted tank though. 

 

[RCA]

Ha, yes the wonderful world of the Kuhli!  I have seven in my large tank and rarely see them, the most I have seen is four at any one time and that is rare!  As for the Java Loaches, I have five of these and see them all the time, plus they do the "Java Dance".  I plan to get some more Javas, although difficult to obtain, as for Kuhlis I am not sure.  I am convinced some of them are gone forever, have checked the external filter and alas no Kuhlis to be found 

 

[372xp]

man this sucks. I wish I knew this before shelling out a fiver, it was almost as bad an invesment as the cherry shrimp who dissapeared into the anubias in another tank, although I have actualy seen these the other day!

 

[RCA]

Go for Java Loaches, you will see them a lot more, if you can get hold of them that is
I do like the Kuhli's but they appear a lot shyer, yet my tank has lots of hiding holes etc for them to feel safe.

 

[372xp]

thanks RCA i will look them up. However if I do decide to go for them it still leaves me the problem of locating the khulis and moving them on!