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Hi there!

SInce I have a snail problem in my 20g, I was thinking of trying the cucumber-removal strategy and also adding one of my favorite fish-The Kuhli Loach! They are soo neat and my LFs usually gets them, and plus i could order them. Im sure they would be at home with a plentily planted aquarium and plenty of hiding spaces.

THe only problem is that I have a Rainbow Shark, and i am gravely concerned that it will harass the Kihlis to the point of death. I could always move it to my dad's tank, and i probably will, but for now i am going to focus on the Loaches.

I have 3 Swordtails, all female (3 more to come later on), and i also have a pleco, which i am giving to my dad. So all in all, i am going to have 6 Swordtails, 4 Kuhli loaches, and maybe 6 or so neon tetras. If not the tetras, then maybe a my betta.

Aside from population, i have a half-dozen of Aponogetons, A lance anubis, Java Fern, and a rapidly growing sword plant. Do you think that that will be enough?>

All in all, i am seriously excited about this idea and i want to have the kuhlis say by december. Please help me, I need something to save myself from the boring old routine! Dont get me wrong, i love my swordtails, but if all i see is red, i might just go crazy, like a bull!

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kuhliis would love your tank, however they are not snail eaters.

I wouldn't put a betta in with your swordtails, especially if one of the swordtails is a male. The colouring of the swordtails can set off a betta's territorial instincts.

As for the shark and loach combination, I have read that they're ok together, but have never actually kept either.

As CLF has just pointed out, perhaps Zebras would be more helpful, although I don't know if they'd get on with your shark....

I vote! Do you?

I typed Rainbow Shark into google to see what one looked like. Cool fish.
Anyway, it came up with a first link to a site which shows a heap of communities which go well with a RS.

As far as the rainbow shark goes I would move him if you could. This fish can get very aggressive and I found out the hard way. Having another fish in its bottom territory I'm sure he wont be happy about, especially in such a small tank. 20 gallons will also not be enough room for him in the long run either because they get to about 6 inches, they need to be in tanks 40+. I had mine in a 20 when I first got him, now he is in a 45 because of this.

Anyway's good luck in whatever you decide

Tigermom

Ok, i will try to move the RS into my dad's tank some time in the next week. I am really bummed to hear that Kuhlis arent snail eaters...

If i will get the zebras, how many could i get, and how many should i get for a 20 gallon?

Here is my new Plan, but i am confused it it will work...

6 Neon Tetras
4-5 Kuhli
6 Swordtails
4? Zebra

EDIT: ACK! I found one of my swordtails in the anubis's roots--DEAD!!!

Now i only have 5 Swordtails....

I was thinking whether or not i should have 5 swrodtails...They are nice, but if i have less i could possibly fit the dream fish listed above...Hmm, i really have to think....

ANYway, Here is my new list!;

1) 5x Swordtails

2) 6x-7x Neon/Cardinal/Glow/Lamplight-Tetras
or
Long Finned/Zebra/Glow Danios

3) 5x Kuhli Loaches

4) 4x-5x Zebra Loaches

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Your tank is far too small for a RTBS Mine got very aggressive as he got older and big he actually controlled the tank. Kuhli loaches are fun try and get the striped ones. They like plenty of low cover and you will not see them all the time. As mentioned they will not clean up the snail problem. You have several choices 2 or 3 Yoyo loaches or a small Clown Loach and return it to the LFS when it has done the job and got bigger.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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Yeah, the Rainbow Shark is at like 4 inches now, and i am moving him to my dad's house next weekend. I dont think the LFS near me accepts returns...The clown loach is out of the picture for me....Its too bad they get so big! I wish i was allowed to have a tank large enough to hold it....

Anyway, am i allowed to have yoyos or zebras, along with its kuhli neighbors? Will they fight?

Thanks again!

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No wonder I was confused. My lfs sells Pakistani loach but I hear no mention of them on this forum so I did a search in the profiles. Pakistani loach and Yoyo loach are the same scientific name, just a different common name.

Yep, I was lost on that one for a bit too, Brengun.

GobyFan2007, personally, even if they would be happy neighbours, I would hesitate in having so many fish occupying the same space in a tank of this size.

I vote! Do you?

What is the maximum nitrate level for the Kuhli loaches?

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just a note with kuhlii loaches... you will never see them unless you get a lot.. or your tank is big.

i have two kuhli loaches, and i only see them a few times a year (they are at least 18 years old now)

What is the maximum nitrate level for the Kuhli loaches?

- I dont really like to set the bar on stuff like this but mine seem to be very hardy and resistant when my nitrate would spike high. Generally speaking, keep it as low as possible, say 40 ppm or below. Weekly 25% water changes and regular filter cleanings will help with this.

imverystupid Wrote:
just a note with kuhlii loaches... you will never see them unless you get a lot.. or your tank is big.

i have two kuhli loaches, and i only see them a few times a year (they are at least 18 years old now)

-
As i said before, i think in the black kuhlii thread or sometime in chat, kuhliis like their own kind. Get at least four. Also, have many hiding spots and areas of shade where they can retreat to when the lights are on. Dont be surprised if you do not see your kuhliis out and about for the first month or so, they just need to get used to their new environment. After that, they will be so happy with it, they will be out several times a day for your viewing pleasure.
-imverystupid- 18 years!!!? i think that must be a record, or maybee you meant 18 months.

Hey CLF! I will keep my nitrates down to under 20 as much as possible. 25% WC seems very reasonable, and i feel that i can do that if i have a low stock of fish. I plan to have at least 4, maybe more of the kuhli loaches, and either Tiger Barbs or neon tetras. Most likely the barbs will be my choice....

I will keep the RS in my dads tank, along with the pleco...

I just wanted to know the Nitrate level max, just in case i had a spike, and also to know how often to change the water....

Will the kuhlis bury themselves in peagravel? I hope that they dont because i dont want to slice one in half while gravel vaccumming...

THanks again!

PS: Are there enough hiding spaces for the kuhli in my new setup? Check my sig!

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My kuhliis have never burried themselves in my gravel, so you dont have to worry about chopping them in half. If you had sand, they would. Sand is not neccesary in my opinion, just soft substrate. You still have to keep a close eye on them when vaccuming the gravel because mine tend to be nosey and want to see what that big tube is.
I would personally add more hiding spots. A tight rock cave( just enough space so the kuhliis, will just fit in) because loaches feel more secure when they are in tight spots. I have cryptocorynes (wendtii's and lutea's) and xmas moss along the front of my tank. This providedes shade and hiding spots for them.
another thing- make sure you have all entrances out of the aquarium covered, the kuhliis may find themselves out. I had one bad experience where one of mine( a huge Pangio myersi)somehow ended up in my filter. It must have wiggled its way through the output somehow. I found it dead wrapped around the propeller of my filter. It was not a pretty site. This is not something to worry about though, i think this may have been an isolated incident as it has not happened again. It has been a year and a half.

-imverystupid- 18 years!!!? i think that must be a record, or maybee you meant 18 months.

no, i meant 18 years.

Is it possible that yours have bred and you just dont know it? I have seen reports that say they can live to be a little older than 10, but nothing like 18. Maybee, these kuhliis are just children of the originals? You say that you barely see them so it would be possible becuase you would not notice the difference in sizes.

i guess that is possible, but i only have two kuhliis and there have always been two of them (you can tell the difference by their colorings)

Wow, your tank must have been set up for a whole lotta long time! Ive never heard of any fish, besides the cichlids, that have ever lived past 8 years! Besides koi and other coldwater cyprinids. I am also suspecting that they could have bred unknowingly, if your tank parameters are correct. What sized tank do you have? Also what are your parameters and stocking? Congrats on the kuhlis BTW...

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the tank has been setup since 1989, and there is only 3 original fish left now.. two others died earlier this year which would include a pleco, and clown loach