What to put with kuhli loaches?

[Gilligan1989]

Hey everyone so I'm new here and need some help stocking a 30 gallon tank. I just moved my african cichlids to my new 55 gallon tank after it cycled. I had 5 kuhli loaches and a clown pleco with them and those 6 fish will stay in the 30 gallon tank. I moved my cichlids because they were nipping at my loaches. What is a good schooling tropical fish that ca3n go in a 30 gallon tank and live with kuhli loaches ?

 

[mistersprinkles]

Hey everyone so I'm new here and need some help stocking a 30 gallon tank. I just moved my african cichlids to my new 55 gallon tank after it cycled. I had 5 kuhli loaches and a clown pleco with them and those 6 fish will stay in the 30 gallon tank. I moved my cichlids because they were nipping at my loaches. What is a good schooling tropical fish that ca3n go in a 30 gallon tank and live with kuhli loaches ?

Anything that isn't going to molest the Kuhli loaches. I guess you were already feeding them at night because of your African Cichlids. So that's good, they'll be used to it. Keep feeding them at night.

You can put almost anything with them as long as it's a peaceful fish. I wouldn't add any more bottom feeders though. You can add any of the following, and more:

Smaller tetra species (Try to avoid Serpaes they are a little nippy)
Smaller barb species (try to avoid Tiger barbs they can be nippy)
Gouramis (dwarves like colisa lalia (dwarf) or colisa chuna (honey))
small cichlids like blue rams or bolivian rams
Angelfish
Livebearers (Guppies, mollies, Platys, mosquito fish)
Shrimp (ie, Amano shrimp)

 

[Gilligan1989]

Thank you very much for your reply. Yes I do feed them at night and I was not wanting them to get nipped anymore. So would say 8 cherry barbs do fine in there?

 

[mistersprinkles]

Thank you very much for your reply. Yes I do feed them at night and I was not wanting them to get nipped anymore. So would say 8 cherry barbs do fine in there?

Sure. You can get more than 8, if that's the only other thing going in there.

 

[Gilligan1989]

Can cherry and gold barbs go together?

 

[mistersprinkles]

Can cherry and gold barbs go together?

Yes they can but you may want to try Odessa barbs. A nice odessa barb is much more attractive than a gold barb.

 

[Aquaenthused]

Yes they can but you may want to try Odessa barbs. A nice odessa barb is much more attractive than a gold barb.

Odessa barbs are not always easy to find- I saw 2 of them at one of my local pet chains with their assorted barbs for the first time in 3 years!!! Hopefully they get more in and continue to, I want a school of 10. Gold and cherry barbs look beautiful together. More good kuhli companions with a little flash- diamond tetra (do best in schools or 6 or more), copelandi tetra, red flame Von rios, celestial pearl danio, African DWARF- avoid African clawed frogs, blackberry shrimp, bamboo or Singapore flower shrimp, long finned purple and blue ocelot danio, blind cave tetra, you could probably even do a pair of electric blue ram with the right ditherers...

 

[twiddlemuffin]

Odessa barbs are not always easy to find- I saw 2 of them at one of my local pet chains with their assorted barbs for the first time in 3 years!!! Hopefully they get more in and continue to, I want a school of 10. Gold and cherry barbs look beautiful together. More good kuhli companions with a little flash- diamond tetra (do best in schools or 6 or more), copelandi tetra, red flame Von rios, celestial pearl danio, African DWARF- avoid African clawed frogs, blackberry shrimp, bamboo or Singapore flower shrimp, long finned purple and blue ocelot danio, blind cave tetra, you could probably even do a pair of electric blue ram with the right ditherers...

+1 or instead of the rams you could do apistos, or keyholes. You could also do a dwarf gourami or maybe a sparkling gourami.

 

[Gilligan1989]

Now if I got a few sparkling or dwarf gourami will they school together or do they fight at all? I already have african cichlids which are very active and aggressive and my wife wants something more peaceful (she hates fish chasing each other over territory) so is there any fish that are just completely peaceful? I've had african cichlids for years but am new to tropical fish

 

[Aquaenthused]

Dwarf gourami- i.e- neon blue dwarf, sunset- are relatives of the betta, close ones at that, I compare them to paradise fish in my mind when I ask myself if I can keep them together... That being said, lol, it's horribly hit or miss, it truly depends on the fish. I see you own African cichlids so you can appreciate that comment, lol. I have found sororities sometimes work, males rarely work together unless you can keep a ratio of 3 to 1 (3 females per single male). As for sparkling gourami, I don't have enough experience with them to give you an accurate profile, though I hear they are highly sought by nanoscapers because of their community behavior. Hope that helps

 

[The Trooper]

Harlequin Rasbora's, i have 9 and they are nice wee peaceful fish to watch

 

[twiddlemuffin]

Now if I got a few sparkling or dwarf gourami will they school together or do they fight at all? I already have african cichlids which are very active and aggressive and my wife wants something more peaceful (she hates fish chasing each other over territory) so is there any fish that are just completely peaceful? I've had african cichlids for years but am new to tropical fish

Depends on the individual gourami but in my experience if you get a male and a female at around the same size entering the tank at the same time it can work.