# Kuhli Loach



## Hpeplau (Dec 25, 2014)

Hi All,
We (me and my 8 year old son) have one male Betta in a 10 gallon with filter and heater. We also have a 30 gallon with guppies and 3 nerite snails. My son and I have been reading about fish and he really loves it ("Mom fish are so fun to watch, more than TV"). I want to encourage this! So we were learning about the different levels of where fish live, i.e. bottom dwellers, middle dwellers and top dwellers.

Long story, short - we wanted a bottom dweller and were going to get some small corries. The fish store guy seemed really knowledgeable and even asked how long our tank was running and a few other questions. We also picked up 3 Dalmatian mollies and he suggested a Kuhli Loach. My son LOVED it! It swims like an eel and is very fast. As the guy seemed to be caring about the fish I trusted him and bought one loach. 

Now I am reading about them and see they are better in sand (we have typical gravel), need at least 3 of their kind to diminish stress (we got one) and do not like any salt (both the Mollies and guppies do better with a bit of salt).

My first thought was to take it back, but my son loves it. So what if I put sand in the Betta's 10 gallon with lots of hiding spots? It already has hiding spots and 2 live plants and one rubber (soft, not like hard plastic). I have read that Kuhli loaches are very docile and mostly hide but do dart around at times. I also know they should have a bigger tank. I am trying to get to a happy medium, let my son keep the loach (will get 2 more if we keep it), not hurt the Betta and keep my guppy/mollies happy too. 

I would consider getting a 20 gallon...maybe...I am not sure where I would put it...is the how we "catch" MTS??? I really want to foster this interest and enjoyment of these fish for my son. It is so much better than video games.

Thanks for any and all suggestions...even if it is not what I want to hear. Lesson learned, listen to fish store employees and then do research before you do what they say.


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## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

I think you will be fine with 3 kuhli loaches and a betta in a 10 gallon tank with sand. Just be sure to provide plenty of hiding spots for the loaches. PVC pipes work really well with them. You might even be able to do 5 loaches which would make them even happier.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Kuhli loaches are extremely shy and really only come out at night. It might not be that fun after a while for your son. Cories are much more active. 

I have 10 kuhli loaches in my 55 gallon tank, and I almost never see them unless I creep in there after dark. 

In the interest of supporting your newly burgeoning MTS, Petco still has their $1/gallon sale going on until tomorrow. For tanks 10-55 gallons.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

We've all listened to pet shop people once. On this side of the globe fishkeeping isn't really a profession so shops don't usually have the best advice. 
I think you should be fine getting 3 more kuhlis for your ten. Kuhlis are small but active so you theoretically can have quite a few in there, just the majority believes they should have more room to do their weird loach dances. Just offer a lot of caves for them. Then of course you'll have the excuse to upgrade later on when you are ready.


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## givemethatfish (Feb 10, 2014)

Did I just get a weird batch of loaches? Mine flip around like freaks all night long, but during they day you wouldn't even know they're in there.


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

Mine usually hid in the day time. A friend of mine, she had probably 30 in her aquarium and they were always crawling all over the place during the day, night, whenever...


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## katydidmischief (Aug 19, 2012)

I have 3 black kuhlis in mine (LFS only had 3, waiting for them to get more in) and you'd barely know they're in there. I occasionally see one out playing in the bubbler or I'll see the skinniest one slithering through the plants, but most of the time they're hanging out underneath one of my hollow Buddha ornaments until lights out.


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## Hpeplau (Dec 25, 2014)

Thanks all for the advice. That is what I will do, get a few more and put sand in with Betta and have them in there. It is easier to get more (fish and tanks) when I say it is for my son .

And I can see how I could easily got more than I can easily take care of too. 

Thanks again!


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