Where Are My Khuli's?

[Le Sorcier]

They are in a 180l tank with plenty of cover.

I have one large cave which I thought they'd love. Instead they hide behind it all the time.

Is it usual never to see them and should I get some sort of moonlight lighting?

I have 5 Khuli's by the way.

Thanks.

 

[Ben M]

hi, i got 6 yesterday for my 216l tank. they are all hiding under a rock ATM, but i'm hoping after a while they will get more confident. i have been told that with plenty of hiding places, they come out more. if you haven't had them long then they might be still settling in. i think mine are.

cheers

 

[england]

khuli's are funny things, i think if you had a really planted tank with floating plant like duckweed,works a treat for me, they might become less shy..

 

[Le Sorcier]

Had them over 6 months. Quite well planted, plenty of shade too??

 

[AJ Tudor]

They generally hide alot, I have 6 P.anguilaris (similar in behaviour to P.khuli) and they seem far more confident when the lights go out and it can be weeks at a time before I see all 6 at once. Fantastic little creatures though, I suggest bring the group size up to around 10, they're very gregarious so will be far more comfortable in a larger group, also as others have said allow them to have plenty of places to hide and see if you can dull your lights with some floating/surface plants.

AJ

 

[Le Sorcier]

Thanks.

My tank is pretty much fully stocked. Could I risk another 5 Khulis?

 

[Le Sorcier]

Thanks.

My tank is pretty much fully stocked. Could I risk another 5 Khulis?

 

[Ben M]

hi, i've read that kuhlis add very little to the bioload, so if your tank isn't quite fully stocked then you could. and if all of your fish are healthy now, then the filter must be adequate for the current stocking, so a few more kuhlis shouldn't do any harm.

cheers

 

[scobie140]

When i had a tank as a kid you could go months without seeing any of mine but the ones i have now are forever out and about so must like the attention

 

[Lacuna]

When I first got my khulis they were out and about all day, shimmying up the plants and sliding down leaves. Now I hardly see them except at feeding time. I also saw more of them when I just had three instead of six weirdly enough. But they are great characters when you do see them.

 

[Curiosity101]

I just arranged my decor and plants to that I would always be able to see my kuhlis even when they were hiding...

I placed lots of cavey/hidey hole things near the front with their openings faced towards the front of the tank. They'll lay together in/under different decorations feeling perfectly safe but in plain view to me. It's great.

I also have alot of plants yet can regularly see 6 kuhlis at any one time...there is always the 7th (which for awhile I was convinced I'd lost) which actually requires some effort to find.

I have re-arrange by tank since I took the picture below (in my sig). But even then I often saw them around the front (where the current is strongest), but also have arranged the covered area at the back so I can see into/around most objects and plants. They particularly liked sitting in the tree with the anubias growing on the trunk.

 

[crazychris]

I have just one and he hides under a log but you can just see his face looking out! He comes out when it's feeding time, even in the daytime.

 

[chrisbastin]

I have 2 khulis in a very well planted tank. again as others have mentioned i very rarely see them except at feeding... they tend to sit in the flow of the pump and catch the loose pieces of food. but after that they go back to their usual 'hides' and are very rarely seen after that. its perfectly normal

 

[los]

i didnt see one of mine for a week, thought it was just hiding, until i opened up my filter and saw him swimming around in the bottom, amazing how it survived was probly loving it in there

 

[Le Sorcier]

Sometimes mine appear white and lose all colour. Later on they are back to normal?!?!?

Is this usual?