# Minimum # of Kuhlis



## Monster Fish (Mar 15, 2011)

6-7. The more the better. My black and striped kuhlis enjoy each other's company.


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## Cynical Fish Guy (Feb 19, 2012)

I can get black ones at the store for $2. The banded ones I go to a local fish store and they run close to $4-$5. I see the black one a lt more than the banded ones. Its always a treat to see the banded ones, they kind of remind me of the L104--which grew up and lost a lot of the stripes-except for the face. A big ugly yellow brown fat pleco :icon_smil


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## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

That sounds like a lot for a 15G to me.


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## JenniferL (Jul 13, 2014)

I think the more the merrier with Kuhlies. And it's been my experience that they don't impact the bio load all that much. If anything, they seem to keep the detritus levels down. Others experiences might differ. 

They certainly don't seem to create space issues as they often all cram themselves together in some little hidey hole and seem perfectly happy to do so. And when you have more and more hidey holes for them, they happily run around from hidey to hidey.

I've also found that the black ones in general are out more. The stripped, I like them better but you don't see them as often unless you've got quite a few and several different places for them to hide.

YMMV, but if it was me, I'd get a couple more. But I also operate more on a watching water parameters and fish behavior system than how many inches of fish I have per gal. Some species are bigger polluters per inch than others and some need more space even though your system could tolerate more of a bio load.


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## Grah the great (Jul 3, 2013)

Agree with above...kuhli loaches are among those fish that appreciate groups of 6+ fish. The two species should be fine together as long as you don't plan on breeding them (never trust fish in the same genus not to hybridize).


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

I have kept 4 together they were vey active and even bred for me.
Just make sure they have a cave or tunnel to gather in for security.
I had those four in a 20 high with mixed livebearers.


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## maroonmudskipper (Jan 21, 2014)

amcoffeegirl said:


> I have kept 4 together they were vey active and even bred for me.
> Just make sure they have a cave or tunnel to gather in for security.
> I had those four in a 20 high with mixed livebearers.


You got kuhli's to breed? I heard that was like a holy grail of loach keeping.

To answer OP, I have five, and they'll come out sometimes. Black though, not striped.


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## Beeker (Jan 20, 2012)

They like to be able to "cuddle" but a 15 gallon tank is too small for them.
It should be no smaller than a 20 gallon, and the advice I was given, by a long time Kuhli owner and breeder, is no smaller than a 30 (29) gallon tank.
I purchased a 29 gallon just for my Kuhlis and I don't regret it at all. I see what was meant by them loving to dance up and down the sides. They need the extra room to really blossom.


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## Cynical Fish Guy (Feb 19, 2012)

[QUOTE

To answer OP, I have five, and they'll come out sometimes. Black though, not striped.[/QUOTE]

In my case I see the black one often, the banded guys are a treat. I do believe all the SOB Kuhlis ate my cherry shrimp. I've seen carcasses split open and red, not white--Indicating murder :eek5::eek5::eek5:


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## Cynical Fish Guy (Feb 19, 2012)

Reminds me; I had 2 corydoras (trillineatus) for 3 years--About 4 months ago they added 3 more when their offspring survived--from at least 2 seperate spawnings! I now have 4 fully adult catfish and 1 mostly adult catfish. It is very hard to tell offspring from parents. With the number of fish now, I no longer fear more catfish.


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## maroonmudskipper (Jan 21, 2014)

Cynical Fish Guy said:


> [QUOTE
> 
> To answer OP, I have five, and they'll come out sometimes. Black though, not striped.


In my case I see the black one often, the banded guys are a treat. I do believe all the SOB Kuhlis ate my cherry shrimp. I've seen carcasses split open and red, not white--Indicating murder :eek5::eek5::eek5:[/QUOTE]

I originally bought one kuhli with five guppies (not knowing they preferred company). The guppies all died off within the week. My husband suspects the kuhlis, but the betta I had in with them later lived, so who knows?


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## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

My khulis did breed I had them in a tank with an undergravel filter which is not for everyone it also had an hob filter. I was still new to aquarium keeping and didn't really know what I was doing. I did faithful 30% weekly water changes. And kept the tank at 78 degrees. I also had several hideouts for them. I did find out the hard way not to add aquarium salt directly to the water. I burned the skin of one of the khulis and turned him partially white. He later recovered and his skin turned black again.


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## Cynical Fish Guy (Feb 19, 2012)

6 is the magic number...(for me anyway1 black loach, 4 5 banded loaches of variable sizes).. Now I have large java fern and moss alive with banded loaches--the black one joins in now and then when not swimming all around glass or hiding/sleeping.


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