Kuhli Loaches Help?

[uGlitch]

My kuhli loaches that I have in my fluval edge are all hiding and it doesn't look like they're eating...
I feed them one sinking shrimp tablet in the mornings with all my other fish and they don't ever seem interested!
My balloon mollies end up picking at it until it's gone...I don't think my kuhli loaches got anything to eat.
What's wrong with them? They swim around once in a while, but they'd rather swim right over the tablet than to stay for a second and eat it. Help?

 

[the biffster]

they like to bury themselves
in gravel or sand. i usually used
to feed them at night as they are
more active at night

 

[bassbonediva]

Part of the problem is that they are in a tank that is too small. Kuhli loaches get to be 4" long and are EXTREMELY active if they are in the correct environment. Mine used to surf the current created by the spray bar on the canister filter in my 55gal ALL the time. They were only still when they were asleep. Absolute bare minimum tank size for kuhlis is 10 gallons, but because of their activity level, I generally recommend 20 gallons or more. They also need to be in groups of five to be happy.

On another note, your dalmatian mollies are going to outgrow your edge as well. They get to be almost 5" long and require a minimum 30 gallon tank to be happy.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Last time I checked, Kuhlis are not shrimps, it is not surprising they are not intrested!

On a more serious note, it sounds like you might need to try some other food types, my Golden Kuhlis happily eat defrosted daphnia/artemia; crushed Prima Discus; crushed Tetramin crisps that have sank to the bottom. Kuhlis are often active at night, so try feeding them just after "lights out" for the tank.

Kuhlis are rather shy fish. Given their tiny bioload, only the smallest of tanks would not be capable of housing ten, which would give them a lot of confidence to come out and "play" (my 11 put on a lovely "loop" display at the end of the tank closest the sofa.

Some small but peaceful schoaling fish will also help their confidence, things like Dwarf Emerald or Chilli Rasboras; Hengels Rasboras (or in my case some Filament Glassfish and some "refugee" Pearl Danios).