Kuhli Dance

[Wendie]

Out of a clear blue sky three of my kuhli loaches started doing a "loach dance" in a tank that they have been living in for several months. Nothing in the tank or around the tank has changed. The other four loaches do not seem to be interested in doing it. Every once in a while one will join in but that doesn't last.

Now the one thing I've noticed is that we are dealing with one female loach with a slightly green stomach and her two male suitors. She is not as gravid as I've seen in the kuhlis, but she is gravid and the males are constantly in attendance. One male tends to lay side by side with her in the sand near the feeding area until you approach at which point they take off like shots.

I was thinking of moving them to another tank with other kuhlis but hesitate in doing that in case I upset the apple cart so to speak. Any ideas? I might add that these guys at just coming into sexual maturity I would believe.

[Graeme Robson]

Have you compared the water parameters from the two tanks? I shouldn't see any problems with transferring them in with other Pangio's personally. Now that they have reached adulthood, their will be plenty of years ahead for a little.......well, you know what.

Graeme.

[Wendie]

I'll check them and see. They should be almost identical.

[mikev]

Three of my kuhlis came in in a gravid state. All three are alive and fine, and more gravid now, but all three lost their eggs initially, within a week of getting them.

I don't know the cause of this -- I don't think it is not my acclimating procedures, I was very careful with them.

It would be interesting to see if Wendie can successfully transfer a gravid kuhli to another tank ... please let us know.

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BTW, I don't think that *really* gravid kuhlis dance... they can still run quite fast, but I never see them swimming.

[Graeme Robson]

BTW, I don't think that *really* gravid kuhlis dance... they can still run quite fast, but I never see them swimming.

Oooh But they can sure do the 'salsa' when a male holds a rose!

Basically, what i mean is that time is in your hands. Good care will reap the rewards.