BulldogWrestler

So I never really see my khuli loaches, but my tank is pretty new still, and I've heard this is common.

The khulis spend nearly 100% of the time I can see them (maybe they come out while I sleep) hiding under driftwood or in a cave (where you can sometimes make them out, other times not so much). VERY rarely will they hide under the stones in the forefront of the cave or in plants.

What I'm worried about is this:

I leave some pellets for them before I turn the lights out, and have plenty of food I leave at the bottom (some smaller pellets that all the fish eat, algae pellets mainly for the pleco, and the shrimp pellets for the loaches). The pleco is an eating monster and a huge pig. I'm worried that he's eating all of the loaches food and kind of out competing them for food. Also, the ghost shrimp are consistently out and get their fair share. Now, with leftovers from other fish never being their the next day, and no food left on the bottom, I'm sure the loaches eat - but I never see it so I'm a hair worried.

Any advice on this?

Here's a pic of my tank setup. You can see where they hide (driftwood on the left, cave with the wheel on the right). They're rarely out.

Attached Images

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MissMTS

I wouldn't worry about them getting food. They are nocturnal and like to come out at night and play and eat Mine are in my 75 gallon with 2 plecos and other loaches and they deffinetly hold their own and go after the food. They were very shy and reclusive for a while, but they'll get used to the tank eventually.

sirdarksol

I worried about the same thing when I got my kuhlis (there were two or three weeks that I thought they were dead), but Butterfly and a few other loach lovers told me not to worry too much. Given time, they'll get used to coming out to take a shrimp pellet during the day.

Shaina

Mine adapted as well and are now nearly as active as cories...out all the time, even swimming around the tank about 6" off the bottom from time to time (they look awesome when they swim in open water lol).

Butterfly

As the others have said they are a bit shy and will eventually come out.
putting a cover over the back of the tank will make them feel less exposed, and providing a little more substrate level hiding/sleeping places may make them more comfortable and come out more often. Good luck I love my Kuhlis
Carol

BulldogWrestler

Any ideas on additions for hiding places?

And putting a blue cover (like they sell at the LFS) on the back would be ideal?

The floor space is pretty crowded already (with the driftwood, the rocks forming a cave up front, and the cave in the back), so I'm hesitant to add anything else - although a background cover would probably help out some I'm sure.

Shaina

Mine love my groundcover plants...I think feel they can venture out of them, then dive back in right away. Not sure if such a thing is possible for you though

Butterfly

maybe a small group of the plants like the tall green one? They love stuff like that. I find mine draped on my plants like ornaments LOL The background will look very nice
Carol