Weird Kuhli loach behavior

[lmhicks101]

I’ve tried to do some research on this but I’m not finding anything on it. So I already had six 8 banded Kuhli loaches and for the most part they were active. I would see one glass surfing now and again or just hanging at the local filtering hole. 

A month ago I picked up 6 more Kuhlis but chocolates now. I added them 2 weeks ago and they’re always out and about but now my stripes are barely out even at night. I still see one from time to time and during a big water change I saw about 4-5 come out. Has anyone ever had this issue? I know they’re not the same species per say but I thought they could go together like cardinal and neon tetras. 
 

edit- Something I didn’t think about was Im away from home alot and a family member takes care of the tank for the most part  Just adding some frozen food or pellets every other day  I came back today and tested my auto feeder and it was clogged up as it had bin sitting over the sponge filter and got some water in it over time. I changed that and put it somewhere else and fed them a good bit. Now 4 of the striped Kuhlis came out with in the last hour. I wonder if this was over food and the chocolates were being territorial over food. Sorry for the bad pic of the chocolates. They’re by the HOB that I just changed and it’s kicking out crap. 

Edited December 16, 2021 by lmhicks101
Adding details

[anewbie]

In general hungry fish will rush to food and can be quite aggressive about it. I had one clown loach (small little fellow I had purchased that was skin and bone) that was very very aggressive around food for about 3 weeks until he put on a bit of weight then he calmed down. My kuhli in one tank are normally noct; but if they miss a feeding will come out during the day; of course in my other tank they never hide and eat when the other fishes eat. 

 

Anyway the answer to your question is yes it was response to lack of food (this doesn't mean they were starving but they were definitely hungry).

 

[Its Hutch]

My kuhlis never come out when the lights on unless I am doing a water change. Blood worms will also lure them out but thats about it. 

[lmhicks101]

My tanks planted pretty heavy so they tend to come out and sit on the sides under the cryps and sponge filter or under the wood in the middle of the tank. I was just shocked how active the chocolates are. They’re from different stores too since I couldn’t find enough at my main place. 

[anewbie]

On 12/16/2021 at 3:22 PM, lmhicks101 said:

My tanks planted pretty heavy so they tend to come out and sit on the sides under the cryps and sponge filter or under the wood in the middle of the tank. I was just shocked how active the chocolates are. They’re from different stores too since I couldn’t find enough at my main place. 

I currently have around 40 kuhli across three different tanks; all of them are various species of pangio kuhli (there are four or 5 with orange/black stripes) and their behavior does differ. Most of them are nocturnal and shy but i have a group of 10 that are very bold and almost never bother hiding.

[laritheloud]

I have 4 kuhlis in quarantine right now, a 10 gallon, and they rarely hide. They're always out doing laps around the tank, even with plants and hiding spots. Is this normal? First time loach keeper!

[lmhicks101]

@laritheloud if all of them are doing it then this is a sign of the following.

1) poor water quality. Despite what people say they do in fact of scales but really tiny. This means like scaleless fish medications and water are a thing you have to consider. This also means aquarium salt.

2) they’re stressed and lack a hiding place or if you have one there isn’t enough. 
 

3) if it’s just 1 or 2 but the others are fine then they may be hungry and hunting for floating detritus worms or anything they can eat. 
 

4) it’s too bright and you startled them. Same can be said for if the tanks in a high traffic area and people keep walking by or stopping and looking at them. 
 

that being said it can easily just be they’re stressed from the new environment or something else but I’m leaning to stress and water/meds. Here’s a pic of my tank and I always have one sitting out or doing something.  Side note though is my tanks normally more planted. I was gone for 2 weeks and the tank wasn’t getting enough nitrates so they died back a bit. 

Edited December 16, 2021 by lmhicks101

[lmhicks101]

@anewbie do you have the giants by chance? I’m absolutely in love with Kuhlis and trying to collect every species I can find. I’m curious if the giant species is more aggressive and shouldn’t be mixed with other Kuhlis. 

[laritheloud]

Thanks @lmhicks101, I actually haven't medicated the tank yet. I just got them on Saturday. I've been changing the water frequently because for the first time since I fishlessly cycled the tank in August to September (as a quarantine), I've been noticing small amounts of non-zero nitrites. I've been changing 25% of the aquarium water on an every-other-day schedule because it takes that long to build up to around 0.25ppm. I noticed a mildly elevated nitrite level two days ago and started to change the water to keep them safe. Very frustrating for me, because I had a group of 3 thicklip gouramis in the tank with no issues, followed by a honey gourami, and now the tank is struggling to keep up with 4 kuhlis.

That said, I'm not sure if they're actually stressed or if they're just Like This, because I drop small amounts of food in for them every other day and don't seem to be gasping. 

[anewbie]

On 12/16/2021 at 5:22 PM, lmhicks101 said:

@anewbie do you have the giants by chance? I’m absolutely in love with Kuhlis and trying to collect every species I can find. I’m curious if the giant species is more aggressive and shouldn’t be mixed with other Kuhlis. 

pangio meyersi; they are not any longer just fatter - but yea i have 8 or so. There is only one store i know of that sells them by name - most stores just group all the stripe ones under kuhli loach. 

 

I also have the mini ones - pangio shelfordii..; purchased them by mistake - they are tiny perfect for a nano tank.

[lmhicks101]

@laritheloud just give them some stuff to hide in, fed, and the waters good and in a few days they should calm down. That being said my chocolates are crack heads and never sit still. They get their selves all wound up in plants, head stuck in gravel to get at food, and surf the glass a bit. 
 

@anewbie is that store online and ships fish by chance? I’m also looking for gold and silvers too. Aquabids hasn’t had anything.

My LFS got me good when I called and asked if they had any Pygmy corries and Kuhlis. They mixed it up and said they had several albino Kuhlis. I think I made a new land speed record getting to that store but alas they were wrong. 

Edited December 16, 2021 by lmhicks101

[laritheloud]

On 12/16/2021 at 6:41 PM, lmhicks101 said:

@laritheloud just give them some stuff to hide in, fed, and the waters good and in a few days they should calm down. That being said my chocolates are crack heads and never sit still. They get their selves all wound up in plants, head stuck in gravel to get at food, and surf the glass a bit. 
 

@anewbie is that store online and ships fish by chance? I’m also looking for gold and silvers too. Aquabids hasn’t had anything.

My LFS got me good when I called and asked if they had any Pygmy corries and Kuhlis. They mixed it up and said they had several albino Kuhlis. I think I made a new land speed record getting to that store but alas they were wrong. 

Mine are Java Loaches/Black Kuhli Loaches (Pangio Oblonga). Maybe that subspecies/colorway is just insane like that 😂

EDIT to add: They do chill out and worm around the substrate sometimes, and they love hiding out in the skull castle my son insisted on putting in the tank. There's a coconut hut, sponge filter, and driftwood, too, so no lack of places to hide.

Edited December 17, 2021 by laritheloud

[lmhicks101]

@laritheloud yeah sounds like mine. They’ll be fine. I can’t wait to get more. 

[anewbie]

On 12/16/2021 at 5:41 PM, lmhicks101 said:

@laritheloud just give them some stuff to hide in, fed, and the waters good and in a few days they should calm down. That being said my chocolates are crack heads and never sit still. They get their selves all wound up in plants, head stuck in gravel to get at food, and surf the glass a bit. 
 

@anewbie is that store online and ships fish by chance? I’m also looking for gold and silvers too. Aquabids hasn’t had anything.

My LFS got me good when I called and asked if they had any Pygmy corries and Kuhlis. They mixed it up and said they had several albino Kuhlis. I think I made a new land speed record getting to that store but alas they were wrong. 

Yes they are but they haven't had any in stock the last 6 months; i suspect they will in the spring - they do not come in very often.

[lmhicks101]

What would you say is the max amount of Kuhlis you’d put in one tank? Mines a 29 gallon.