kuhli loaches

[kathleen55]

i have some questions about kuhli loaches..
- how many gallons of water do they need?
- where can i get them? do you know of any online websites because my local petco doesnt sell them. thanks!

 

[siva]

Keeping atleast 5 is best, in a minimum of a 10 gal but 20 is better. They need a smooth substrate they can burrow into like sand or smooth stones. If your lfs doesn't carry them, ask them to order them for you so you don't have to pay for shipping. Otherwise you can try to find them online. Aquabid would be one place to try. When I was looking for mine I could only find black everywhere and really wanted striped. I ordered mine from franksaquarium.com.

 

[kathleen55]

Keeping atleast 5 is best, in a minimum of a 10 gal but 20 is better. They need a smooth substrate they can burrow into like sand or smooth stones. If your lfs doesn't carry them, ask them to order them for you so you don't have to pay for shipping. Otherwise you can try to find them online. Aquabid would be one place to try. When I was looking for mine I could only find black everywhere and really wanted striped. I ordered mine from franksaquarium.com.

thanks! im glad i have sand then ^_^ do they eat snails? and do you know how they would do with an african dwarf frog? thanks again

 

[siva]

No they don't eat snails. Not that I have ever seen anyway. They would be peaceful with ADF's, but they would most likely get to all the food on the bottom before the nearly blind ADF's even had a chance. I wouldn't mix the two. ADF's are social creatures so I would get a couple more.

 

[kathleen55]

No they don't eat snails. Not that I have ever seen anyway. They would be peaceful with ADF's, but they would most likely get to all the food on the bottom before the nearly blind ADF's even had a chance. I wouldn't mix the two. ADF's are social creatures so I would get a couple more.

yes im getting a few more this week probably tomorrow and okay i have an empty 10g so i can keep then seperated. just one more question. do you see them often? i know they can be shy.. thanks again

 

[siva]

Awesome! I keep my ADF's in a planted species only tank and I highly recommend this for them Yes, I see my 6 kuhli's all the time. I think one of the probs with them is they are often kept in too small of a group. If you keep 5 or more they won't be so shy and won't burrow in as much. They also appreciate a well aerated tank. Mine is double filtered so there is quite a flow from the filter and I run a air stone for them on top of it. They have all grown to full size and are thriving.

 

[kathleen55]

okay thanks ^_^ how many could i keep in a 10g?

 

[siva]

There are varying opinions on that. I say 1 per gallon max. Remember that they are nearly blind, so I feed in the same place every day, in their fav little cave, so they know where to find the food when they smell it. Feed only frog & tadpole bites and thawed frozen foods. Avoid any other pellets and freeze dried foods. They prone to bloat and dropsy, a proper diet is the best way to avoid these things. I alternate every other day between the foods, but when I get a new frog that is still very small, I feed extra frozen foods until they've put some weight on. They originate from fairly warm waters in Africa, and IME do best at 80F. Their skin is very sensitive and prone to infection if damaged, so inspect any fake plants, wood, and decor that you add to the tank for anything that may damage them. On manufactured decor I do a once over on them with a metal nail file and make sure there's not rough edges or pokeys. They have a tendency to slam down into things pretty hard, so make sure everything added to the tank is firmly planted in the substrate so that nothing can tip and pin them. Many frogs have drowned this way. Also choose a nice smooth substrate for their comfort.

 

[kathleen55]

okay thank and how many kuhlis could i keep in a 10g?

 

[siva]

I'd stay with the minimum and do five.

 

[kathleen55]

I'd stay with the minimum and do five.

okay thanks again