Kuhli Loach Losing Color

HI all,

I have a kuhlI loach in my tank that seems to be losing his orange colour. The orange seems to be fading as he grows larger and from most pictures I see online the kuhlI loach tends to keep a bright orange shade as they grow. Could this be a sign of bad water or malnutrition or do some loaches just lose their colour as they grow?
Thanks!

 

Can you try posting photos as well as telling us more? How long have you had it, what size tank, substrate, and what tank mates?

Kuhlis tend to stay the same color as when you get them, they may fade/darken depending on things like mood, stress, and healthy. Sounds like you only have one loach, kuhlis are highly social and need a school to display natural behaviors. 6 is a good number but the more the merrier.

 

I'll try and grab a picture tonight as he normally comes out later in the day. I have small particle sand on the floor of the tank and lots of live plants. 2 Cory's on the floor of the tank and the rest is guppies and tetras. In a 25g tank! I have had him for the better part of a month.
I did not know that they were social like that.. I will try and grab him some buds this week!

 

So I was able to grab a picture of just his head.. he likes to hide. But he actually looks quite orange in it so maybe he is fine and I'm just going crazy! I would like to get some more though just to make it a bit of a healthier habitat for him. But what do you think of the habitat for more loaches? Is it a good idea to have loaches in a tank that looks like this? I have added many hiding spots and lots of live plants.

 

He doesn't really look pale to me. Is he eating well? They will burrow down in the substrate to hide. They're much more active in groups, and will be less shy if they have buddies to hang out with. Mine zip all over, wiggle down between the gravel (smooth and round), and hang out on the plants. I've had one of them for about 9 years, and he's just as active as the younger ones.

 

He has been eating normal. I alter the food from frozen bloodworms to flakes. Maybe I was just going crazy and he isn't loosing his shade. I do totally plan on getting him some buds

 

Definitely get some more friends and I’d add more ground cover if possible. Kuhlis are more of a black water species and they live their leaf little and driftwood. Mine chill among the plants, wood, especially the pieces of cholla wood. Never hide, never borrow into the sand either.

 

UPDATE: my loach now has four friends

 

Nice Khulis will go pale if they get startled. Sometimes if one of mine is out during the day and I somehow scare it by moving quickly, or not seeing it when I'm moving something in the tank, it will go almost white. Not only does it loose it's yellow colour but it's brown goes to a very light grey. It's only temporary though.

I have a feeling it is a defense mechanism. I have light coloured substrate, and when it pales out it is actually very difficult to see against the substrate.

It seems I have one that seems to always be pale. It seems to have been that way since I got it, though it seems perfectly healthy otherwise (of course it may just be that it is different ones that I see pale from time to time. Your's doesn't look pale at all

Tony.