20 Gallon Tank Only see two of my three kuhli so far

I got three kuhli loaches last Thursday and two of them come out to feed regularly (and more so when the lights are out). I haven’t seen the third one since I put them all in there and am worried he isn’t getting enough to eat or is maybe dead?

My tank has a bunch of rocks that form little caves between them so it’s possible he’s been hiding in there all this time and only comes out when all of the lights (not just the aquarium lights) are out?

I’m not sure if I should be dropping in some extra food before I go to bed for him specifically. I’ve been keeping an eye on my water parameters and everything has been stable so far (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0-10 ppm nitrate), so I’m inclined to think he isn’t dead, but he’s so little so I’m not sure.

 

I have heard loaches can be some pretty prolific hide n seek champs.

 

I have heard loaches can be some pretty prolific hide n seek champs.

I’ve been reading a lot about that. I guess I’m just worried since it seems like the other two of them are usually seen out together while there’s been no sign at all of the third.

 

How do you know it is the same two that come out and the same third that hides?

 

How do you know it is the same two that come out and the same third that hides?

I’ve been keeping track of their size/markings. The two that come out are a distinctive size and have recognizable stripes.

 

Kuhli loaches are notorious for hiding; my mom has one in her 60g and he will disappear for ages at a time and then suddenly pop up every once in awhile towards nighttime or for food. I do hope you are able to actually see the third one soon though! It definitely can be worrying not seeing it, especially when it's a new addition.

 

Kuhli loaches are notorious for hiding; my mom has one in her 60g and he will disappear for ages at a time and then suddenly pop up every once in awhile towards nighttime or for food. I do hope you are able to actually see the third one soon though! It definitely can be worrying not seeing it, especially when it's a new addition.

Thanks, me too. I’ve lost a couple shrimp and one fish as new additions, so I guess I am a bit anxious to know he’s doing alright.
Do you know if your mom leaves food out at night specifically for her loach?

 

Thanks, me too. I’ve lost a couple shrimp and one fish as new additions, so I guess I am a bit anxious to know he’s doing alright.
Do you know if your mom leaves food out at night specifically for her loach?

I will have to ask in the morning what she does now for feeding in case it has changed, but I know she did put food in there at night for him. She has a small albino pleco too and other greedy fish lol so she'd put some in before turning the lights off to make sure he got some. You can try putting some in before shutting the lights off (and keeping a small light on by you so you can see) and wait a bit and see if it'll venture out for the food.

 

I will have to ask in the morning what she does now for feeding in case it has changed, but I know she did put food in there at night for him. She has a small albino pleco too and other greedy fish lol so she'd put some in before turning the lights off to make sure he got some. You can try putting some in before shutting the lights off (and keeping a small light on by you so you can see) and wait a bit and see if it'll venture out for the food.

I’ll have to try that, thanks for the light suggestion!

 

Of course! I hope it works out and you can find the little one
Keep us updated!

 

Kuhlis are notoriously shy. I'm surprised that the other two come out regularly! Even with lots of hiding places, many of them will spend their days and nights in hiding if they're not in a large group. They tend to have very low bioloads, so you could consider getting another 3 of them. Then maybe that shy one would come out more, plus more kuhlis is always better in my book!

 

I wouldn't sweat it. They're very nocturnal. I've got 10 or 11 of them in a 40B and only see about 3 of them with any regularity. Occasionally on water change days, more will come out and parade around the tank but it's rare for me to see more than 4 or 5 at a time... ever. I also don't feed them specially. I used to worry about that, but they've all grown, and they're good at finding food (I do tend to feed the tetras and cichlids in the tank on the heavier side hoping some of that makes it's way to them).

 

Kuhlis are notoriously shy. I'm surprised that the other two come out regularly! Even with lots of hiding places, many of them will spend their days and nights in hiding if they're not in a large group. They tend to have very low bioloads, so you could consider getting another 3 of them. Then maybe that shy one would come out more, plus more kuhlis is always better in my book!

I was surprised to see them out and about as well. They don’t really hang out in the open but they’ll dart out fairly often close to the rocks to look around.
I’m definitely planning on getting more! My tank is fairly new so I’m taking it slowly with the stocking. If nitrogen levels stay stable after I add this next batch of fish then I should be able to add three more kuhli next week!

 

Update: tried the nighttime feeding and waiting, still haven’t seen him and it’s been weeks. I just got them three more loach friends so I’m hoping he’ll feel more comfortable and come out soon!

 

Seeing mine once a year or so.

 

I never heard that but mine have been known to hide for months without being seen. Btw they love hiding in canister fitlers.

I have heard loaches can be some pretty prolific hide n seek champs.

I'm not sure i would call them shy per sey. I have a group in my guppy tank and sure they hide but they love it when i do water changes and come out to check things when the water level is nice and low - thing is that i can be pruning plants and checking the substrate and they will swim right into my hand without a care in the world.

Kuhlis are notoriously shy. I'm surprised that the other two come out regularly! Even with lots of hiding places, many of them will spend their days and nights in hiding if they're not in a large group. They tend to have very low bioloads, so you could consider getting another 3 of them. Then maybe that shy one would come out more, plus more kuhlis is always better in my book!

 

Seeing mine once a year or so.

Oh man. I’m sure glad I see mine more often. I’m still worried the one loach is dead, still haven’t seen him since I put him in.

I never heard that but mine have been known to hide for months without being seen. Btw they love hiding in canister fitlers.


I'm not sure i would call them shy per sey. I have a group in my guppy tank and sure they hide but they love it when i do water changes and come out to check things when the water level is nice and low - thing is that i can be pruning plants and checking the substrate and they will swim right into my hand without a care in the world.

That’s so neat! Mine haven’t done that but the two that I do see come out during water changes too to see what the commotion is, and they’ll come out when there’s food. I guess maybe fish have different personalities.

 

Oh man. I’m sure glad I see mine more often. I’m still worried the one loach is dead, still haven’t seen him since I put him in.


That’s so neat! Mine haven’t done that but the two that I do see come out during water changes too to see what the commotion is, and they’ll come out when there’s food. I guess maybe fish have different personalities.

Years ago I emptied a tank in which a Kuhli loach died in me years before (I thought). In the last drops of water suddenly the lost son appeared woohahahahaa

 

Years ago I emptied a tank in which a Kuhli loach died in me years before (I thought). In the last drops of water suddenly the lost son appeared woohahahahaa

That’s wild!! Hardy little bugger. I wonder what he survived off of all that time.

 

Years ago I emptied a tank in which a Kuhli loach died in me years before (I thought). In the last drops of water suddenly the lost son appeared woohahahahaa

Dean, one of Corys buddies had that happen too. Dean says he had a tank that everything had died in, and he was all "I'll finish cleaning it out later." Fast forward 14 months and he finally starts breaking the tank down and finds a khuli loach down in the water. Woah....

 

I have heard loaches can be some pretty prolific hide n seek champs.

I literally thought one of mine had died because I hadn't seen him in almost six months (he was the one black one in a group of striped ones) and when I moving all my fish to my upgraded tank I found him! He's probably just hiding. You'll find him one day soon for sure.

 

I literally thought one of mine had died because I hadn't seen him in almost six months (he was the one black one in a group of striped ones) and when I moving all my fish to my upgraded tank I found him! He's probably just hiding. You'll find him one day soon for sure.

I just got three more last week to see if numbers could coax him out of hiding and now I see 4 out of 6 during feeding times. Sigh lol. I’m sure you’re right, they’re just being shy.