Loaches Online Forum

Hi, i belong to this other site also. This one member claims he has an 18 year old kuhlii loach. I have to admit, i dont believe this guy one bit. Any thoughts?

Over the years, we've heard several stories of people with long-time kuhlis. There was one story of a live kuhli being discovered beneath the under-gravel filter in a tank that had been stored in someone's basement. If it is true that clown loaches can live for as long as 40 years, I don't think this is necessarily an exaggeration.

I remembered that I had read a thread on here about old loaches, so I looked it up.

How old is your oldest loach?

Great catch, Loachmom.

A 20 year old kuhli!!
I thought it was amazing that there was a 20 year old Chihuahua in the local paper today wearing a tuxedo.

Also on another forum i found someone who had a dojo for past 20years. Isn't 10 years the average?

daspricey wrote:Also on another forum i found someone who had a dojo for past 20years. Isn't 10 years the average?

I say a flippantly, "The animals don't read our manuals." I am teasing. I have done a lot of environmental programs for the museum I have worked for and have found all manner of strange appearances and behaviours. Birds that shouldn't be where they are, insects out when they shouldn't be, plants doing things they shouldn't be doing, turtles sunning on the backs of alligators, . . . Or people are misinformed. People panic when the see raccoons out during the day thinking they are rabid, when in reality it is a female in spring, sneaking out for breakfast after nursing her young and they settle down to sleep the day away (they are mostly nocturnal). Baby birds are often found on the ground, and "rescued", when in reality they are fledging and learning to fly with a parent watching nearby.

I believe that as our skill and knowledge of husbandry gets better, the lifespans of the critters in our care are increased as well as enriched. Think about what this website has done for Loach keeping worldwide?

How any people found out loaches like company? Some loaches like fast water, they like fruits and vegetables, a clown loach can not live in a 10 gallon. . . All seems like common knowledge, but it isn't for everyone. The loaches knew this though, even without reading the manual.

Tanja