# Feeding Kuhli loaches problem



## tjc (Jan 17, 2006)

I have 11 rummy-nose tetras and 10 cardinal tetras that eat all the flake food I put in the aquarium so none of it sinks to the bottom. How can I get food to my 3 Kuhli loaches.

I wondered if Kuhli loaches would eat tablet food. I could try feeding frozen food and use a baster to get the food to the bottom of the tank before the tetras can get to it.

Any ideas?


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## aquariageek (May 27, 2006)

My Kuhli Loach is doing very well in my planted tank. I have mollies, peacock gudgeons, and dwarf african frogs. I feed them blood worms daily. I use two chunks of bloodoworms, I throw one in and let it float, the worms fall and the fish eat them, and the other I hold just below the surface a bit so they thaw a bit and the clump sinks to the bottom, which lets the loach (I assume) and the DAF's eat them.


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## lailastar (Aug 28, 2006)

*Feeding*

Have you tried shrimp pellets? The ones that come in the orange can? I just got some Kuhlis and they really like the shrimp pellets- which are great at dropping straight to the bottom...


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I think the biggest key for your success in getting the food to them is tossing a little in the tank before lights out. They seem to be nocturnal (from my observations anyway), so they won't have the other fish to compete with if you drop some in at night.

Aquariageek, don't you get a lot of protein buildup when you feed blood-worms every day? I feed them too, but vary the diet with other things so they only have blood-worms once or twice per week.

I agree that they also really like the shrimp pellets.


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

Shrimp pellets are really good for Kuhli's. The fish in my tank aren't large enough to eat the pellets in one swift bite.


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## noahm (Sep 27, 2006)

*Pellet food*

Any sinking wafer/pellet should do. Just don't overdo ( one or two should do for a few kuhlis). They are not really nocturnal, but if you only have one or two, they will hide till lights out. Get 4 or more, give them plenty of hiding places, and you will see them a lot more. They just seem to be more comfortable. I use tetramin 'tropical tablets-the rich mix', and feed one or two the same time I feed flakes. ( I have 9 kuhlis).

Noah


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## fresh_newby (Mar 13, 2006)

I use tropical sinking pellets and feed them at the same time as flake and freeze drize blood worms so my rainbows and Betta go for the worms and flake, and don't even notice the sinkers for the corys and the kuhlis


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## mousky (Jul 6, 2006)

When I had mine, I used a pipette and squirted live blackworm to the bottom near their hideyhole at lights out. If any burrowed into the substrate, they would dig them out and suck them up, looked really cool.

They would also appreciate the shrimp pellets occasionally, but I found that they were quite messy and a lot ended up being sucked into my canister, probably not great.


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## tjc (Jan 17, 2006)

I've taken everyone's advice and bought all the recommended foods. I'll be alternating their food on different days. The tetras pretty much ignor the pellets when they hit the bottom. I saw one Kuhli chowing down on a shrimp pellet.

Thanks everyone.


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## Lord Nibbler (Dec 22, 2005)

Do they look anything like this when they are eating?


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## aquariageek (May 27, 2006)

JanS said:


> Aquariageek, don't you get a lot of protein buildup when you feed blood-worms every day? I feed them too, but vary the diet with other things so they only have blood-worms once or twice per week.


Actually, between the fish and the frogs they gobble them down very quickly. I made a typo, I feed them every other day, not daily. Should I feed flakes... or maybe some pellets on the other days? The reason I stopped feeding flakes is because the peacock gudgeons and DAF's really ignore anything but bloodworms, and the mollies seem to enjoy them.


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## Lord Nibbler (Dec 22, 2005)

I'd give them a little bit of algae or shrimp wafer every couple of days. Typically kuhlis find enough to get by between big meals.


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## jkjm (Oct 5, 2006)

*don't feed them too much!*

I feed my Kuhlis shrimp pellets as well as raw frozen peas just cut up and dropped in just before lights out. I only feed them a couple times a week though, and let them root for scraps and baby snails the rest of them time. They are excellent at keeping the snail population down if you don't feed them too much!


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