Loaches Online Forum

After the ich disaster, I have a new tank of Bloodfin Tetras and 4 Black Kuhli loaches, however they don't seem to behave as they are supposed to (or what I've read).

They've been coming to the side of the tank and swimming in circles or at the back of the tank swimming back and forth up and down. Most of them however will then bury themselves in the rocks for a while, but one keeps doing it.

I have a few plants in there, some Anacharis and some Golden Ribbon. There's lot of little hiding spots between some of the bigger rocks.

Is this normal, or a sign of something wrong?

How long have they actually been in the "new" tank? This is typical behaviour for a group of newly introduced kuhlis. You'll find they will most probably do it after water-changes in the future too. Once they get settled the behaviouyr will probably subside.

Martin.

Well my kuhlis are always hidden but my DOJO's do that as well. Mostly, right before a big weather change/drop in pressure lol....I call it the "pre storm workout" because it looks like they're doing laps for excercise

......which is why they're called Weatherfish

Martin.

My black kuhlis seem to be much more rowdy than my older striped ones though they've calmed down in the few months I've had them.

I think this is pretty common for loaches overall when introduced to a new tank. We've had this happening with clowns and yo-yos when first introduced, but they've stopped after about a week.

It's been about a week since I got them. I wonder if weather affects black kuhlis too. If it's normal I'll not worry about it, most of them seem calmer now... except for one. Does that behavior stir it up in the other loaches? I've seen Wiidy swimming in circles for a while and it seems the other join it.

The previous dojo I had really didn't do much even before a big storm. Then again he was most active when begging for food >_> otherwise he was usually asleep.

EDIT: Mobile videos of loaches. Can you tell me if I need more plants or such?:
http://yfrog.com/jv77fz
http://yfrog.com/0re19z <-- Sideways
http://yfrog.com/14mdtz <-- Shows the layout of the plants

If one of my fish starts dancing the others usually join in, even in different species.

More plants & hiding places would probably help calm them down & look nice too.