Loaches Online Forum

How many kuhli loaches as the only grounds keepers in a lushly planted 120gal?

that is such a cool idea....like maybe 30 to 50!!!??? IF they are happy and breed you would have much more! I think they are very nice fish and not a bother to any others, so the number could be quite high in a tank that size.

I have 5 in a 20 gallon planted and they seem happy, frisky and very beautiful.

30 to 50? Seems a little much. I'll start with 12 and see where to go from there.

I have 7 khulis in my 127 litre tank, I guess that I could add more if I wished, but I have allowed for some shoaling fish in the upper levels & of course the possibility of breeding.

Personally, I have 3X Black khulis & 4x Banded Khulis, both species behave differently despite similarities.
They mix well & don't think it unlikely that mixing the 2 species poses a risk of hybrids.

nesopheus wrote:How many kuhli loaches as the only grounds keepers in a lushly planted 120gal?

I would want at least 10 so that they have plenty of their own kind to interact with, and more like 20. That would still leave you plenty of space for other fish

My question would be, if they are ground crew, what else do you plan to keep with them? That would determine for me whether I would have Kuhlies.

starsplitter7 wrote:My question would be, if they are ground crew, what else do you plan to keep with them? That would determine for me whether I would have Kuhlies.

I have three Gold gouramis and plan on a few more. Rope fish are my passion so 2 or 3 of them, 1 Simensis, 12 Glass cats and a few Otto cats.

nesopheus wrote:I have three Gold gouramis and plan on a few more. Rope fish are my passion so 2 or 3 of them, 1 Simensis, 12 Glass cats and a few Otto cats.

Be careful with the gouramis: they grow large and are quite aggressive when adult! 1m 2f is the usual recommended number for a 4 ft tank, so I'd be wanting at least a 6 ft tank if I wanted to keep more. I would also be a lot more concerned in getting Crossocheilus siamensis into a decent school (and firstly making sure that they're not something else), and same with the glass cats and Otos.
So for a 4+ ft tank, I would look to change the stocking, before considering khuli loaches, to:
* 1m 2f Trichogaster trichopterus
* [I do not know about ropefish compatibility, so I won't comment on them]
* 6 C. siamensis
* 20 glass cats (of one species, there are a handful which look almost identical)
* 6+ Otos of one species

…or for a 6+ ft tank:
* 2m 4-5f Trichogaster trichopterus
* [I do not know about ropefish compatibility, so I won't comment on them]
* 6-8 C. siamensis
* 20 glass cats
* 6+ Otos

…and with proper filtration, assuming you really do have the peaceful C. siamensis, either tank should be able to support 10-20 khulis.

I love my ropefish, but I would worry the rope may consider the Kuhlies as a wormy treat. Mine has been a model citizen but he is the smallest fish in his tank.

I'm fairly sure that Ropefish will eat Kuhlis. Try Googling something like Ropefish and Kuhli loaches. I'm not entirely sure, but I think my Yoyo's ate my pangio alternans

starsplitter7 wrote:My question would be, if they are ground crew, what else do you plan to keep with them? That would determine for me whether I would have Kuhlies.

Up to you really, as long as the co-occupants are not too large or aggressive. I have a shaol of Hemigrammus Ocellifer, & a couple of sunset gouramis which don't bother the khulis at all.
I also have a horse faced loach living with the khulis - he's a bit of a loner, but doesn't bother the other fish.

I keep horsefaces with my kuhlies. Since I have packs of both they all come out as a group to eat dinner. Very nice fish.