Breeding black khuli loaches

[Gio,]

Hi just wanted to see if anybodys had success breeding black khuli loaches?

 

[nabokovfan87]

Welcome to the forums Gio!  Good question.

[Phoenixfishroom]

Yes.

10 individuals in a heavily planted 20 tall, dirted, species tank, 80°F, internal filter and HOB creating a mild/moderate current. There are lots of floating plants and a spawning mop as well as lots of moss. The only other inhabitants are adult amano shrimp, a couple assassin snails, and a small group of breeding cherry reds. Check the spawning mop at least every day because if the eggs fall to the bottom they will be eaten. I condition with repashy spawn and grow, blood worms, baby brine, and daphnia as part of their diet full time.

I also have lavender kuhli  but the have not spawned yet, they are much younger though. Kuhlis don’t breed until they are at least 18 months sometimes even as old as 2 years the first time they spawn. They pair off so it is better to start with a decent size group and grow them out together, I have not seen any aggression  during spawning or between males. 

[Gio,]

Thank you Nabokovfan87

[Gio,]

Phoenixfishroom, thank you for the info. I currently only have 4 i have had them for about 2 years so im gonna have to get a few more then. I do have them in a community though so that may cause some difficulty's. Also ive never really tried a dirted tank would sand be a good alternative? I will add a spawning mob in there in the next few days to see if i have any luck with that. I have noticed them pairing off every now aamd then but never see any eggs or maybe they just get eaten before i can.

Nice! Ive never seen a lavender khuli my only resources for fish is petco aand petsmart but i did get lucky and managed to get my hands on a silver khuli which that ome i noticed likes to barrow in the substrate hoping to get more if i see them there. Thank you again for the very helpful information ill keep you guys posted and hopefully im successful.

[Phoenixfishroom]

Honestly I’ve never heard of anyone successfully breeding them in a community tank, pretty much everything else I keep in groups of 1 pleco species, 1 Cory species, 1 schooling species, and variations of that. Khulis are tough, they are tough for experienced breeders, and I think at the end of the day some of it boils down to the temperament of your fish and if you have one that wants to do it. 
also, khulis are black water fish so you need to give them a planted black water tank with a nice current, really clean water, and slightly higher temps than they are often kept at are good too.

[Phoenixfishroom]

I see you asked if sand would be a good alternative, the top layer of my substrate for them is aquarium filter sand, under that I have dirt mixed with pea gravel and peat.  They feed by sifting sand through their mouth and out their gills so finest grain sand is really the only substrate that I would ever recommend for them. The dirt is under that and I don’t think it effects breeding success one way or the other. Someone else recommended pea gravel to me, helps any fry that end up hatching in there hide. I have a layer of Indian almond leaves above the sand which helps replicate their natural environment, helps hide eggs that fall, and or course creates the black water environment.