# Choose Panda Cories or Kuhli Loaches or BOTH on a 40g tank.



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Hello! 

I only have so far in my 40 gallon tank four danios, one pearl gourami and six otocinclus (i still haven't bought my schooling fish) . I want to add for my bottom tank six kuhli loach and six panda cories. I know the otocinclus only eat algae so I'm not worried about them with food (there's always algae in my tank) but will the panda cories and kuhli loaches fight each other to get food? Or will the cories be faster and eat all the bottom foods and leave none for the kuhlies?

Should I not add the panda cories so that the kuhlies can have their food? Or don't add the kuhlies because there's a chance they might hide all the time and not see them often? Or should I risk it and add both and just add more food for them? I like the kuhli loaches more and the otocinclus kinda look like cories already XD. 

And one more thing, I'm having some difficulties eliminating pond snails in my tank (they keep reproducing like rabbits!) Will the kuhlies eat the little snails? Or should I find if a petshop sells assassin snails and get one?


----------



## KingPopzy (Aug 22, 2015)

I don't know anything about compatibility with these cuties 
but if I had to pick by personality LOACH BBYS 
best personality they are the silliest things man


----------



## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

I think I would pick one or the other not both. I really don't see any compatibility issues at all but you seem to be heavy on bottom feeders. Although I prefer Pandas, I think a group of Kuhli's would probably be a little more fun to watch.

When you add your schoolers food might have some trouble reaching the bottom before it gets eaten up. To keep all your mouths full you might have to resort to using a feeding tube.

As for the snails, I can't get a straight answer on whether they eat them or not. Some sources say yes, others no.


----------



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

KingPopzy: I've seen the kuhli videos on youtube. They sure are fun to watch...when they are visible!

MikeG14: I LOVE panda cories. But I want my tank to have different fish with their different colors and I'm looking at pictures of otos and panda cories and while they do look different and not so alike, they both have similar colors and the otos kinda look like a cory already...almost XD.

I like that the kuhlies have some pink/dark brown colors on them and they are eel-like which I think it'scool! I'm just hoping that the kuhlies don't hide all the time during the day = /.


----------



## MikeG14 (May 31, 2014)

manami said:


> I'm just hoping that the kuhlies don't hide all the time during the day = /.


I don't really think they will as long as a group is maintained. If you put in a single specimen you might never see it again.


----------



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

I'm planning to get six or seven kuhlies in case one of them dies.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yeah, Panda's are wicked sensitive as well and die at the drop of a hat >.< My 45 has one left, the poor thing. I started with seven, they've all died and I have fantastic parameter's; tank is cycled and everything. So yes, I vote Kuhli's as well!


----------



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Ok. I'll get the kuhlies. I really like them and I think they're cool! They will be the last fish to add on my tank. I added some downoi foreground plants (plus other plants that came with the downoi) and since the kuhlies like to dig under the substrate I want to make sure the plants have all rooted down the substrate. One time I was removing a Heteranthera zosterifolia (star grass?) to move it more to the front and it's roots was way down to the substrate and a little hard to remove. I hope my plants can hold to the ground with the kuhlies! But if the kuhlies were to unroot a plant I'll just put it back to the substrate again! Stay there! XD


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

Even if you get all of those, the tank isn't fully stocked. However, as someone else mentioned that is a lot of bottom dwellers.

Personally I would round out those danio since they need to be in groups beftween 5 to 6. You can fit 4 more with room to spare. The longfins are a favorite of mine.. so beautiful with their long flowy fins.

In addition to what you've already mentioned, Congo Tetra are stunning fish. Especially the males. 4 males and 6 females would be a nice rounded group.


----------



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Congo tetras are beautiful but they get a little too big for my tank size...and I'm kinda worried about their piranha teeths biting my fingers! And I don't want to get more danios...they are just too hyper and at the beginning they were bullying the otocinclus = /.

OFF TOPIC: Wow, my pearl gourami just now went JAW shark style and attacked (but missed) one of the danios while he was hiding behind some rocks.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Yeah, Pearl's aren't huge fans of fish in their level or territories. You could do a couple more Pearls though, they prefer to be in groups and will show off their beautiful colors! 1 Male to 2 Females is normal and they normally don't bother other fish either. My Pearl boy is in with Ember Tetras and he's more like their guardian if anything, they love swimming around him and he seems to like them quite a bit.


----------



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Really? Can I add two female pearl gourami with him? I thought PG prefer or "it's recommended" on some websites that only one (any gourami) gourami per tank is allowed on a tank because of their aggression (like a male betta). But I must confess I had a hard time finding a healthy looking male pearl gourami and for some reason the petshops brings more males than females. But if I get lucky I'll get two females!


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

manami said:


> Congo tetras are beautiful but they get a little too big for my tank size...and I'm kinda worried about their piranha teeths biting my fingers! And I don't want to get more danios...they are just too hyper and at the beginning they were bullying the otocinclus = /.
> 
> OFF TOPIC: Wow, my pearl gourami just now went JAW shark style and attacked (but missed) one of the danios while he was hiding behind some rocks.



This is what I have in my 30 gallon (my oldest tank): 4 male Congo Tetra, 6 female Congo Tetra, 10 Serpae Tetra, and 3 Panda Garra.

A 40G tank will house that many Congos quite comfortably.

FWIW, they have never once bitten me. They eat plants like a chef salad, but they've never bitten me. You really need to see a micro shot of them to even see their teeth. Even a corn snakes bite doesn't hurt (I've been bitten several times)... so I little nibble from a Congo would barely be felt.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Not at all! Pearl's are one of the least aggressive gourami's out there!! Even more so than the Sparkling and Honey gourami. Sometimes when they go into spawning mode, they may chase away other fish but they don't hurt them. They, much like the 3 Spot variatus love to be in groups and your tank is certainly big enough for them. Recommended minimum is 29 gallons per pair.


----------



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Mousie: I have plants! I love my plants! I can't have them because of the plants and there's also a chance that they might eat the kuhlies in the future too... Maybe someday I'll get them in a different tank = ).

lilnaugrim: Ok. If I get lucky I'll buy two female PG the same place I bought the male gourami. One question, does the male pearl gourami shows his red color under his mouth/chest when he becomes adult? Mine doesn't show it yet like the ones I see in pictures. But he is a male because of his above fin being too long.


----------



## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

He shoes the red when he's in breeding mode, it's not just being an adult  He should also get spikey fins out from his anal fin. This is what my male looks like (he was going to a show so I was acclimating him to a smaller tank for that purpose, he's normally in a 29)


----------



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Cool! Then I should get two pg girls for him = ). Your pearl gourami has beautiful colors! Good luck!

And my gourami is a boy!


----------



## Mousie (Feb 16, 2015)

manami said:


> Mousie: I have plants! I love my plants! I can't have them because of the plants and there's also a chance that they might eat the kuhlies in the future too... Maybe someday I'll get them in a different tank = ).


Agreed.. you don't want Congo's if you have plants lol. They're a peaceful community fish though. They completely ignore my 3 Panda Gara and the other tetra in the tank. Accept the congo females... they seem to always be giddy with them. They chase and play with them, but I've never once seen them nip at them.


----------



## manami (Feb 4, 2012)

Mousie: that's good to know! = )


----------

