Kuhli loaches with slightly red gills
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Kuhli loaches with slightly red gills
Hi, I am new to the forum so please educate me if I do things wrong. I love Kuhli Loaches and have a 10 gallon tank dedicated to them. I have 12 young Kuhlis that I aquired together on 6-8-10. They all look happy and active, playing, eating enthusiastically and snuggling together. But they all have mild redness around the gills. Not very red, not inflamed, but I wonder if I need to be concerned. All that is in the tank is the 12 kuhlis (about 1.5-1.75 inch long each), some java moss on some little ceramic caves, a couple of little snails, and some clay pots with extra holes drilled in them for 'toys'. I have no ammonia, no nitrite, nitrate runs about 10, pH is high for kuhlis but consistent at 7.4 (I keep trying to get it lower but can't seem to do it - I am thinking about getting a buffer), my water is a bit on the hard side (I don't have a test kit, but know that it is moderatly hard). Temperature is 78 degrees. When they were adjusted to their new home and the red gills continued I added aquarium salt at half the recommended dose, so 1 rounded tablespoon for 10 gallons of water. So they have had the salt for about 1 month and I see no change. What do you say???
Hi Patti, welcome to Loaches!
I would not add salt for Loaches of any species.
pH of 7.4 is fine, and somewhat hard water is OK. Stable and not quite perfect is better than perfect sometimes, but variable.
If you wanted to change it you could try this:
Set up a bucket of water with some peat moss. Say... 1/4cup per gallon. Test with all the tests you have (pH, GH and KH would be great) and stir it occasionally. Run the test for several days, testing daily. If peat moss makes the water better, and you can be consistent and do every water change this way, then here is how to make it work for the tank:
Prepare each water change a day or so ahead by adding a nylon stocking of peat moss to a bucket of water. For a 10 gallon tank I would set up a 5 gallon bucket, perhaps 3 gallons of water, and about a cup of peat moss in a knee hi stocking. Let it steep until you are ready to do the water change (24 hours or so). Right before the water change add enough hot water to make this water match the tank temperature. Add dechlorinator (if needed). Then do the water change.
I can reuse the same peat for about half a dozen water changes, but toward the end I need to let it steep for more than just overnight. I run a small pump to keep the water circulating, too.
You can add peat moss to the filter, too. A nylon stocking, cut into a small enough bag, then closed with a small, thin rubber band will work well. When the rubber band rots it is time to change the peat moss. If all you did was to add this to the filter then every water change would mean changing conditions for the fish. Not so good. Make the new water for water changes the way you want it for the best results. Peat moss in the filter is just a little bit more to do if you want.
Red gills suggest some sort of irritation, but the most common irritants are eliminated by your tests: Ammonia, and pH.
I would not add salt for Loaches of any species.
pH of 7.4 is fine, and somewhat hard water is OK. Stable and not quite perfect is better than perfect sometimes, but variable.
If you wanted to change it you could try this:
Set up a bucket of water with some peat moss. Say... 1/4cup per gallon. Test with all the tests you have (pH, GH and KH would be great) and stir it occasionally. Run the test for several days, testing daily. If peat moss makes the water better, and you can be consistent and do every water change this way, then here is how to make it work for the tank:
Prepare each water change a day or so ahead by adding a nylon stocking of peat moss to a bucket of water. For a 10 gallon tank I would set up a 5 gallon bucket, perhaps 3 gallons of water, and about a cup of peat moss in a knee hi stocking. Let it steep until you are ready to do the water change (24 hours or so). Right before the water change add enough hot water to make this water match the tank temperature. Add dechlorinator (if needed). Then do the water change.
I can reuse the same peat for about half a dozen water changes, but toward the end I need to let it steep for more than just overnight. I run a small pump to keep the water circulating, too.
You can add peat moss to the filter, too. A nylon stocking, cut into a small enough bag, then closed with a small, thin rubber band will work well. When the rubber band rots it is time to change the peat moss. If all you did was to add this to the filter then every water change would mean changing conditions for the fish. Not so good. Make the new water for water changes the way you want it for the best results. Peat moss in the filter is just a little bit more to do if you want.
Red gills suggest some sort of irritation, but the most common irritants are eliminated by your tests: Ammonia, and pH.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.
Happy fish keeping!
Happy fish keeping!
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