Kuhli loaches on Eco Complete

[bettaballistic]

So I have a 55 gallon heavily planted tank with just four juvenile angelfish and a mystery snail, that I want to add kuhli loaches to. I've got lots of places for them to hide, but my substrate is Eco complete which is pretty rough. I know that they do best in sand or smooth gravel, but I've seen several posts on here where people say that they do just fine on eco complete. My plan was to cap my current substrate with softer gravel. But if I don't have to uproot all my plants, cap the gravel, and then plant them all again that would be my preferred method.

I apologize for not responding to and finishing the last couple posts that I started, things got a little crazy for a while. But I could really use some people's opinions on this, I have to start being okay with not providing 100% perfect care for 100% of my animals all the time. I just don't want them to be unhappy, not necessarily in the best possible environment they could ever have. Thanks in advance!

 

Edited April 16, 2023 by bettaballistic

[Lennie]

Well, kuhli loaches are almost always wild caught. So they are being brought to aquariums from mother nature, not born and raised in the tanks usually.

Sifting sand is their number one the most basic behavior. I feel like when it comes to kuhlis, you ideally need to have sand. I feel like it is the same with keeping shell dwellers without shells or sand. They just enjoy or perform this as a part of their nature.

Idk eco complete in particular as it is not sold here. Doing fine on other substrates is generally used as if the substrate isn't sharp, they won't get damaged barbels. The understanding of "fine" here is open to questions in that regard in my opinion. Is being not damaged meanwhile not being able to perform the most basic sifting action daily is fine? Well, I don't really know that part. If you ask my personal opinion, not being damaged is not enough to call it fine in my personal opinion.

That tank seems a bit too bright for now for kuhlis btw. Once everything grows and it turns into a jungle, it can provide some shady areas where they may feel more confident. They don't like it bright, they are nocturnal at the end of the day.

Edited April 16, 2023 by Lennie

[bettaballistic]

@Lennie my lights are dimmable, they get fairly low. That's an older picture of the tank so there is more overgrowth and hiding spots now. But what do you think of this idea: you can get 3D printed under gravel tunnels. I have a pretty good layer of sand under my current substrate, I can install one of those under the gravel in the sand and then they would be able to access those at different points in the aquarium? The one here is the biggest one I would probably go with several small ones 

[rockfisher]

They should be fine on the eco-compete. If your able try to provide hiding places that are smooth like a pvc pipe or other things. During the day they are going to be resting in a dim place. At night they are moving  about the tank. 

[bettaballistic]

My final decision I ordered the loaches I'm keeping my current substrate and ordering the undergravel tunnels. I'm going to keep my lights dimmer and feed them at night. I tend to be up pretty late looking at my fish tank so then being nocturnal is something that I was going for. I think I'll be able to tell if they're unhappy and I can make changes at that point.

Edited April 20, 2023 by bettaballistic
Adding info

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Keep us updated on how they do!

[Helena]

I have kuhli's on very small pebbles as seen in the picture (there is two, one just dug in the derpiest way possible). This is when I first got them and they were small, they dug very awkwardly but it was doable. Now that they are bigger they don't look as awkward but if I was to redo it, I would probably get sand. They don't mind the pebbles though I have a mix of the white pebbles shown and Seachem Flourite Black Clay Gravel. They don't mind either

Edited April 20, 2023 by Helena

[Maximus]

I had similar thoughts when I was setting my tank up. I knew I wanted kuhlis but didn't want to deal with sand for multiple reasons (mainly for the plants). I have generic pebbles. They don't seem to care, at all. I've got hiding spots for them in the form of some caves, hardscape, and plants. 

[bettaballistic]

On 4/20/2023 at 2:27 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Keep us updated on how they do!

6 days into having them. They're very active and seem to be settling in nicely. They all have a good appetite I see a few of them during the day and all of them at night. And they love their tunnels they have plenty of room in there and they can access the sand. Their skin doesn't seem irritated and they're whiskers don't seem damaged by my substrate

Edited April 27, 2023 by bettaballistic

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

They're adorable!