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Kuhli loach numbers / bioload

Jack B

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2020
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176
Location
London
Hi everyone

My sump-filtered 180L tank has lots of nano fish (lambchop rasboras are the biggest), RCS and Bamboo shrimp. Cobalt blue gobies are also a planned addition.

I like the idea of kuhli loaches (nocturnal sounds fun) but recommended minimum group size seems to be around 10. That's a lot of fish given that they'll be much bigger than anything else in the tank.

  • Would that number give the shrimp a lot of hassle? I can afford to lose a few babies but wouldn't want to cause bigger issues. Love my bamboo shrimp too much.
  • In terms of bioload, how many neon tetras would they equate to? I have loads of filtration and plant mass, but obvs there will be a limit somewhere.

Thanks!
Jack
 
This question "In terms of bioload, how many neon tetras would they equate to?" made me chuckle, as I don't know the answer but I feel like it's a question of Apples to Plums.

You'll want a group of Kuhlis, you'll never see them otherwise. You don't mention substrate, and that's my main blocker with kuhli, they like to bury themselves, so this means either really fine sand, or really large stones (so they can hide under them).

"Lots" of fish is a little vague, if you have lots you probabaly have enough ;) that said I don't know how the gobies and kuhlis will get on, they're going to be in the same space every now and then and I consider gobies to be a little territorial.

Kuhlis will (in a good number) remove every baby shrimp in the tank (those at 2-3mm).
 
It would be great to see a list of all your fish + a photo of your tank to get a better idea (and how big your sump is too). It's hard to know their bioload, and on the internet it seems to vary everywhere, from also no bioload to a large one (on aqadvisor). Mine don't seem to eat much though. In a tank your size I'd probably just get them and monitor it, I don't think they'll have much of an effect if your filtration is strong (which I assume it is cos of the gobies + bamboo shrimp).

I kept them with shrimp and they didn't seem to eat them, they have very small mouths so could only eat the really tiny babies. They seem more like scavengers in terms of behaviour than predators, though they love to hoover up live food, especially stuff like bbs and copepods that go along the bottom. They love to sift sand so fine sand would be ideal.

I def wouldn't keep less than 10, I have 7 and they're very shy, although dither fish seem to make them much less shy, so I think with your nano fish they'd go great. They aren't territorial at all, and when faced with a territorial fish go ????????? and wiggle about dramatically about in confusion, which made my apistos ignore them after a while.
 
Do you have a normal weir box to return the water to the sump? If you do I would check the size of the comb because khulis will end up in your sump at some point if it is too wide. I speak from experience of these wriggly houdini's, I put an import of over 200 in the top qt rack and they were nearly all in the sump, 3 floors and 12 ft (tank width, 3x4ft) down within a day.
 
Seconding the weir comment. I have even had kuhliis swim up the outlet of a canister filter, as in, against the current. They are disturbingly good swimmers if they set their mind to it. Said kuhlii found itself swimming into the impeller, poor thing :(
 
Khulis love crowd surfing!

58ECFD3B-C9BC-49B2-91BD-A98AC65F679A.jpeg


:)
 
This question "In terms of bioload, how many neon tetras would they equate to?" made me chuckle, as I don't know the answer but I feel like it's a question of Apples to Plums.

You'll want a group of Kuhlis, you'll never see them otherwise. You don't mention substrate, and that's my main blocker with kuhli, they like to bury themselves, so this means either really fine sand, or really large stones (so they can hide under them).

"Lots" of fish is a little vague, if you have lots you probabaly have enough ;) that said I don't know how the gobies and kuhlis will get on, they're going to be in the same space every now and then and I consider gobies to be a little territorial.

Kuhlis will (in a good number) remove every baby shrimp in the tank (those at 2-3mm).
Yeah I knew the 'neon tetra equivalent' was a long shot ;)
My substrate is mainly JBL Mandano, so not fine, but very light and non-abrasive. I'm hopeful they'd get on OK with it - certainly a determined fish would be able to burrow. There's plenty of wood to hide under, dense planting and an area of sand in one corner....sound OK?



I think the novelty of having zillions of red shrimp has worn off so I'm OK with the kuhlis getting a regular meal that way
 
It would be great to see a list of all your fish + a photo of your tank to get a better idea (and how big your sump is too). It's hard to know their bioload, and on the internet it seems to vary everywhere, from also no bioload to a large one (on aqadvisor). Mine don't seem to eat much though. In a tank your size I'd probably just get them and monitor it, I don't think they'll have much of an effect if your filtration is strong (which I assume it is cos of the gobies + bamboo shrimp).

I kept them with shrimp and they didn't seem to eat them, they have very small mouths so could only eat the really tiny babies. They seem more like scavengers in terms of behaviour than predators, though they love to hoover up live food, especially stuff like bbs and copepods that go along the bottom. They love to sift sand so fine sand would be ideal.

I def wouldn't keep less than 10, I have 7 and they're very shy, although dither fish seem to make them much less shy, so I think with your nano fish they'd go great. They aren't territorial at all, and when faced with a territorial fish go ????????? and wiggle about dramatically about in confusion, which made my apistos ignore them after a while.
Yes indeed:

20210511_185840.jpg
20210511_193130.jpg


The fish are:
Neon tetras x9
Lambchop rasboras x13
Dwarf golden barbs x10
Chilli rasboras x8
Green neon rasbora x1 (last survivor :/)
Habrosus cory x6

And hoping to add three gobies.

My sump is about 40L and I clean the sponges every week. Pretty strong flow from the return pump: everything sways and the bamboo shrimp are happy near the inlet. Glad you think I'd be OK with a group of ten (?)
 
Do you have a normal weir box to return the water to the sump? If you do I would check the size of the comb because khulis will end up in your sump at some point if it is too wide. I speak from experience of these wriggly houdini's, I put an import of over 200 in the top qt rack and they were nearly all in the sump, 3 floors and 12 ft (tank width, 3x4ft) down within a day.
Actually no - just a foam-covered inlet so that should be alright. The odd baby shrimp makes it through but nothing else so far. Your experience is a good warning though!
20210511_185948.jpg
 
Seconding the weir comment. I have even had kuhliis swim up the outlet of a canister filter, as in, against the current. They are disturbingly good swimmers if they set their mind to it. Said kuhlii found itself swimming into the impeller, poor thing :(
Wowsers. Yeah my return pump kicks out a fair current (Octo Varios 2) so they'll have their work cut out trying to swim into that...and it's a long way down to the pump...surely not .... (!)
 
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