Kuhli Loach - Active or Sick?

[xanthianacid]

Hi, in my son's tank there is a variety of fish, 4 Choc Gourami's, A little Red tail black shark, some swordfish etc, catfish, pictus and 3 kuhli loaches.
Well, the big Kuhli is going nuts for the last several hours he's been lapping the front part of the glass over and over, never resting. Is this normal? Generally I don't get to see the little buggers as they are so elusive. This is our best tank for happiness/survival, it's been going the longest too, 9 months.

Thanks in advance,

Xanthia

 

[ryan]

Its not altogether unusual, although they generally remain reclusive they can and do have stinits of activity IME. Whenever I see them in the lfs they tend to be highly active and doing what you have described, but my own fish have only been seen doing so on a couple of occasions. I think it can depend on the stocking in your tank, if larger, less timid fish are present they tend to stay hidden.

 

[xanthianacid]

Thanks for that It just seemed to go on for so long. He's in a really peaceful, unthreatening tank, and he provided some entertainment.

 

[Morrgan]

Kuhli loaches are very sensitives to changes in temperature, water parameters, even air pressure. They often react to changes by the kind of behavior you described (going in circles too?), for example after water changes. Best thing is to avoid changes like that.

However, sometimes they seem to do it for no reason whatsoever. I have a group of 10 kuhlis (3 different species) and one of them swims around like that every day, even though the rest of them are normal. Maybe he just likes his exercise.

 

[LoachLover]

Most of the time they are hard to find, but every once in awhile they go crazy and do what you said. Probably isn't anything wrong with him

 

[Teelie]

I wish mine would come out more often. I see one or two every so often but they're almost always hidden. They have a nearly perfect tank too. All on their own but for some small snails and ghost shrimp. Plenty of hiding places and their water is tan from driftwood. I even have fake floating plants to break up the already soft blue lighting. Still, they hide. Chickens.

 

[Morrgan]

Heh, sounds like a nice setup, Teelie! I would love to have a kuhli-only tank one day. I suggest you get a few more, then you'll very likely see them more often. Mine were a bit shy while I had only 5, but now I see them every day. The Pangio oblonga (sorry, don't know the English name but they're just brown, no stripes) seem more active and less shy than the others I have.

 

[Teelie]

I bought all the Kuhli's the store had which was only the 5. Since then no one else has gotten any that live longer than a few days if they get any at all.

So far as I know, all 5 of mine are still alive and well but hiding. I check water parameters every few days and look around for any signs of problems but nothing has shown up (no spikes, dead fish or strange behavior) so I'm assuming all is well.

This is their cozy little inhabitation at the moment. Unfortunately the quality isn't too good. I haven't figured out the best setting to use with the digicam.