MaddieLynn

I went to the LFS yesterday to get 2 more mollies, and lo and behold, they have striped kuhli loaches! Since I was planning on getting 4 black ones, I got the 2 striped ones they had and I'm going to pick up 2 black ones next time we're at Wal-Mart.

I noticed that my 2 new loaches look quite a bit different. One is much darker with fewer and more regular stripes than the other. They are both about the same length, though. Here is a picture comparing them:



The darker one looks to have about 7 stripes, while the lighter one has about 11, PLUS it has a spot on its back inbetween each stripe. I've read that there can be different types of striped kuhli loaches. Are these 2 different types?

MaddieLynn

I also have one more question that I forgot to add:

I brought them home yesterday, and even though I have sand they aren't burrowing. Why? The reason I got them was to keep my sand stirred up.

Butterfly

There are several kuhlis(Pangio kuhli) thrown under the Kuhli loach heading. If they are caught wild I imagine collection point would have some thing to do with the markings.
There are several Pangio variant/species. Here are a few
Pangio myersi
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-myersi
Pangio semicinctus
http://www.loaches.com/species-index...%20semicinctus
pangio alternans- i would love to have some of these
tp://www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-alternans/?searchterm=striped kuhli
Pangio malayana
http://www.loaches.com/species-index...triped%20kuhli
wouldn't it be wonderful to have access to all of these I believe yours are Pangio kuhli http://www.loaches.com/species-index...triped%20kuhli
Carol
Mine don't burrow in the sand but they do stick their heads down in it and sift it through their gills sifting yummies out of the sand. Give yours time to settle in and they may even burrow in it

MaddieLynn

I'm almost certain that the darker one is Pangio semicinctus, but I'm not sure about the other. It's probably the same, but in color it really resembles the first link you posted, Pangio myersi. It definately doesn't look giant, though.

agabr123

also if your tank is fairly new there may just not be that much extra bits of food in the sand yet, i'd give them a little time and they'll probably have their heads buried in the sand all day long