How Many Black Kuhlis For A 20 Gallon Tall?

[wodesorel]

Well, I knew I was okay with six in there. But when I stopped at everyones favorite mega-mart-complex-take-over-the-world-store their "fish of the month" are black kuhlis. They had two left, swimming frantically around a bare-bottom tank with about 30 guppies in it..... so.... well... I couldn't walk away.

Tanks stats are:
8 x black kuhlis
1 x male betta
2 x pomacea bridgesii
1 x pomacea canaliculata
1 x marisa cornuarietis (bought today with the kuhlis)

I do water changes and cleaning every two to three days. The kuhlis have a ton of hiding places - I bought out the mini terra cotta pot section last month and now they have a jungle gym. They're always out and about though. They get fed frozen food - brine shrimp, at the moment, I'm waiting for the lfs to get in more bloodworms.

It's a 2 foot by 1 foot 20 US gallon tank.

Thanks!

 

[smithrc]

I tend not to add our Kuhlis into our stocking figures... there is no way they would add the same waste as any other fish of 4"

8 would be a great number in that tank... they will play in a group that size too

 

[wodesorel]

That's what I figured, but I wanted to double check with someone who's had them longer.

Do you think 8 is a good number for that sized tank, then, or if I can't walk away from another black kuhli in another store (not going back to this one), would it be okay to get one or two more? I don't want to overcrowd the bottom, but it doesn't seem like it's even close to that now, and they're just having a blast with their new buddies. The feeding frenzy tonight was great!

I just love them to death, and I know that they're not only hardy fish, but very long lived as well if taken care of properly. I'm keeping the thought in the back of my head that there is a great chance they'll be around as long as my felines, if not longer.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

with khulis the theory is: "the more, the merrier". i bet the 8 you currently have will be just fine. however, i would urge to resist buying any more from the fish store of doom since it doesn't sound like you have a quarantine tank. you just don't ever know what "extras" you're bringing home from that place

 

[mikev]

I tend not to add our Kuhlis into our stocking figures... there is no way they would add the same waste as any other fish of 4"

I count kuhlis as 1" fish; eight is certainly fine for your tank, but perhaps no more: The real limitation factor is the floor space, you want to give them a chance to develop their territory(ies). And btw, 20L tank will hold more kuhlis than 20H.

 

[wodesorel]

If I ever need to, I could set up a quarentine tank - I'm running three foam inserts in an aquaclear on the main tank, have another spare filter to put one of those in, and have an empty ten-gallon in the basement. (Just no room to leave it up permanently, unless I downsize from a full-sized bed to a twin... hrm... )

Yeah, a 20L would have been better, but around here they're a specialty item, so I had to take what I could get. Not only that, but I needed a decent stand with it, and with things being on sale, I was able to get both tank and stand for $110, which to me at least, was a good deal. The next size up would have been well over 200 for stand and tank. (It's not a huge hobby in this area.)

I will resist the urge to buy more kuhlis..... I just won't be going anywhere near the aquria displays anytime soon..... At least, not until I'm wildly successful at work and am making enough to buy my own house, completely with a few 250 gallon tanks... hehehehehe

Yeah, the "extras" that came with the kuhlis is a post in Chit-Chat.... Spines. Like, backbone spines, in the bottom of the bag. Two of them in fact. Eeek!

 

[mikev]

The extras you should be aware of are the diseases that may kill not just your new kuhlis but the ones you have now as well. While kuhlis *usually* do not carry transmissible diseases, this does happen occasionally, and you owe to your existing fish not to risk their lives.

Thus,

If I ever need to, I could set up a quarentine tank -

please take this seriously and set up such a tank if you add even one more loach. You may get away with not quarantining one, twice, ... but eventually you'll be out of luck... At least two weeks in a Q-tank is a must.

And, since you have discovered kuhlis, the chances are that you'll want more. After all, there are other kinds of kuhlis out there, and not just the most common "striped".

Kuhlis are fun and will be with you for very long time if you take good care of them

 

[wodesorel]

please take this seriously and set up such a tank if you add even one more loach. You may get away with not quarantining one, twice, ... but eventually you'll be out of luck... At least two weeks in a Q-tank is a must.

Will do. I was just so upset that they weren't in a large group, I let my emotions get the better of me.

To be honest, I really don't care for the look of the other species. Stripes don't do much for me. There's just something about the black kuhlis that made me fall in love. I think it has something to do with the three gray and four black cats I have. I just love dark colored fish - expecially dark snails and black bettas.

Thanks for all the advice! There's next to nothing out there about black kuhlis, and so I like to double check with people who have been keeping them for awhile!

 

[mikev]

I keep both (right now, 8 blacks and 18 striped). Personally, I prefer striped because I know who is who, it is impossible to keep track of black kuhlis.

 

[wodesorel]

The first one I bought I can tell apart from the rest. She (or he, I guess), has yellow on both the top and the bottom where the tail joins the body. It's also twice as thick as the others. I bought one because I thought it was cute, and then did some research and learned they needed to be in groups of three, so got two more. It wasn't until after I upgraded tanks that I found this site and learned they do even better in larger groups, so got three more, and then this little "rescue" added two more to that. They all seem really happy, though they keep doing the loopy-loopy dance on the side of the tank. I think I'll pick up a bubbler on Saturday to keep the water mixed better.

I never though about being able to tell them apart by their stripes. Duh! Of course they wouldn't have the exact same markings.

 

[mikev]

The first one I bought I can tell apart from the rest. She (or he, I guess), has yellow on both the top and the bottom where the tail joins the body. It's also twice as thick as the others.

Interesting. Do you have a picture to show? "Twice as thick" makes me think it is a female, maybe gravid. Any color difference on its belly?

I bought one because I thought it was cute, and then did some research and learned they needed to be in groups of three, so got two more. It wasn't until after I upgraded tanks that I found this site and learned they do even better in larger groups, so got three more, and then this little "rescue" added two more to that. They all seem really happy, though they keep doing the loopy-loopy dance on the side of the tank. I think I'll pick up a bubbler on Saturday to keep the water mixed better.

Try putting in a *very strong* airstone that creates a vertical current. My kuhlis (striped in this case) play with one: swim up and down on through it. Other loaches (like younger Kubotai's and Yoyo's) play this game too, but kuhlis are the funniest to watch.

I never though about being able to tell them apart by their stripes. Duh! Of course they wouldn't have the exact same markings.

Yeap. All stripe patterns are different and sometimes seriously crazy. I picked mine in part because of easy-to-remember patterns. Once you can tell them apart you learn that they do have somewhat different personalities too.

 

[wodesorel]

They really are something else!

What kind of airstone do you recommend for a 20 gallon? I've never owned an airstone, and would like to go for something quiet since it's three feet from my bed, but something powerful like you mentioned.

The one who is large isn't gravid - she's been thick now since April and hasn't shown any signs of changing. I was hoping that's what it was at first - but no signs of eggs or even a change in her size, except length. I do seem to have great luck getting eggs in my tanks from snails and shrimp, so maybe I'll get surprised by the loaches. I know it hasn't been done more than once or twice in captivity, so I'm not holding my breath! My guess is the size difference is due to her being bought first, about three weeks apart, from the others. I can't explain the yellow markings, though. I can only suggest that it has something to do with being dominant - though I don't know if it's a male or a female thing.