Loaches for 29 gallon w/paradise fish & Kuhli suicide

[Jayhawk]

Well, I depressingly found one of my three kuhli loaches had migrated into, and died, in the Aquaclear filter tube...

Now I have two, along with a paradise fish, 2 ancient otos, a clown pleco, and one highly mysterious amano shrimp (recently rediscovered after a 5 month period of invisibility).

I'm torn - I had originally been planning on adding a few more kuhlis, but I am wondering will the other two (since my LFSs are currently without kuhlis) end up committing suicide, too? Is this a normal kuhli behavior or like most fish, a sign of a sick fish to begin with?

If they're likely to off themselves, are there any other small loaches of the Botia variety that would do well in a heavily planted 29 gallon tank? I have no plans of adding other fish - but do like something for the bottom.

Edit - My LFS tends to routinely carry B. morletti, B. almorhae and the occaissional hillstream loach. Any of these work, and if so, in what numbers?

Thanks,

Eric

[worldrallynut]

If you don't already have it, get the mesh tube piece that fits on the end of the tube to prevent them from going up it. If they were just stuck to it, odds are they died and just wound up there because that is where the current brought them.

Hillstreams require alot of flow in the tank, so it all depends on how much oxygen and current you can provide in the tank (especially down where they like it). Perhaps you should look into sids.

[Emma Turner]

are there any other small loaches of the Botia variety that would do well in a heavily planted 29 gallon tank? I have no plans of adding other fish - but do like something for the bottom.

Edit - My LFS tends to routinely carry B. morletti, B. almorhae and the occaissional hillstream loach. Any of these work, and if so, in what numbers?

A 29 gallon tank is too small for Botia species. In my opinion, even the dwarf chain loach (Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki) will do better in a slightly larger aquarium than that.

The loaches that you mentioned, Skunks and Yo-yo's will be too aggressive for such a small tank, and hillstreams require a totally different set up to that of a planted aquarium.

Emma

[Jayhawk]

Well, I found a mesh bag off of some fruit that I've tied onto the AC filter intake (it has the slitted safety secion - but apparently it was just wide enough for the poor kuhli to slip into it).

My other two kuhlis are still acting normal and look healthy...and they are charming (along with being, apparently, one of the few loaches that'll do fine in a 29), so I'm going to hunt down some compadres for the two remaining. One advantage to the kuhlis is they don't eat my pond snails I'm breeding in the tank for my Figure 8 puffer (in a BW tank - just so no one worries he's in with the kuhlis).

Thanks everyone,

Eric

[poeticpyro]

gotta love kuhlis and puffers...
i have my kuhlis in with the dwarf puffers aka pygmy puffers... they're a good match and i love them because they don't eat the snails so that the puffers can get a treat which as you know is quite entertaining to watch... good luck ciao.

[Jayhawk]

Found the last LFS in town with Kuhlis! Picked up 4 of their largest...which were teeny. I'm really glad for the mesh on the filter intake now!

Eric