# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Amano shrimp and kuhli loaches



## rssjsb (Sep 8, 2003)

I've seen this question raised in a number of threads here and elsewhere, but never really answered: will kuhlis eat amano shrimp (or cherry reds, for that matter)? I've got six kuhlis in my planted 40 gallon breeder and I've got four grown amanos in a 5 gallon by themselves. I'm considering moving the amanos to the bigger tank (and possibly adding another six or so), but don't want them to get eaten.

I've seek these kuhlis eat snails before, but don't know if they would (or even could, with their smallish mouths) prey on full-grown Amanos. I also understand that cherry reds are smaller and may be more vulnerable.

Anyone have any experience keeping these guys together? Thanks!


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## rssjsb (Sep 8, 2003)

I've seen this question raised in a number of threads here and elsewhere, but never really answered: will kuhlis eat amano shrimp (or cherry reds, for that matter)? I've got six kuhlis in my planted 40 gallon breeder and I've got four grown amanos in a 5 gallon by themselves. I'm considering moving the amanos to the bigger tank (and possibly adding another six or so), but don't want them to get eaten.

I've seek these kuhlis eat snails before, but don't know if they would (or even could, with their smallish mouths) prey on full-grown Amanos. I also understand that cherry reds are smaller and may be more vulnerable.

Anyone have any experience keeping these guys together? Thanks!


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## anonapersona (Mar 11, 2004)

I have 5 kuhlies in a tank with over a dozen Amano shrimp, never noticed any problems. The kuhlies keep to themselves, only occasionally are they seen out, when shrimp pellets or algae wafers are on the floor of the tank.

I've never had any indication of a kuhlie loach eating a snail, are you certain of that?


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## rssjsb (Sep 8, 2003)

Well, once I had a decent-sized pond snail get caught in my filter intake. I knocked him off and he floated to the bottom behind a rock (either shocked or dead). Although I didn't see anyone attack it, within seconds, the shell was empty. Sometime later, I actually saw a kuhli take hold of a small snail shell and shake it. I'm assuming he was eating the snail, but I can't be absolutely certain. 

It might be an occasional thing, and might just be one oddball kuhli (it happens). Maybe I was wrong about what I saw. Who knows?


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## jpmtotoro (Feb 13, 2003)

i have some snail loving kuhli loaches. i didn't feed them for a long while (i dunno... a month?) and they just obliterated the snail population in my tank. i think they will eat snails but prefer flake food or other easy meals.

JP


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## rssjsb (Sep 8, 2003)

So, JP, this brings me around to my original question -- will a snail-eating kuhli eat shrimp as well? I think you're right that they prefer an easy meal, but none of my kuhlis look like they've ever been late to dinner, if you know what I mean, so I can't really credit their predatory behaviour to hunger.

Setting up hiding places big enough for the shrimp to hide in (say, while they're molting) but too small for the kuhlis to get into is impossible. I once had them in a divided tank and they sqirmed between the glass and the divider to the other side.


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## jpmtotoro (Feb 13, 2003)

i think this is going to be one of those YMMV things... i have ghost shrimp in the tank with my kuhlis and they seem to leave them alone. i have had a few in there for probably 6 months, and they don't seem to die off very quickly. not any faster than i would attribute to normal rates of mortality at least. i think i had about 5 or 6 shrimp, and in a 6 month period (maybe longer) the population has been reduced to 3. this is in a 20 gallon aquarium with 3 kuhli loaches so i very much doubt the shrimp have been able to "hide".

anyway, that is my experience. i don't really know if your kuhli loaches are even more ravenous than mine. it's possible...

if you are worried about losing your amanos or your reds... i suggest buying a few ghost shrimp and putting them in with your kuhli loaches. the ghost shrimp are like 25 cents... check the aquarium in a few weeks and see if you still have any shrimp left







that's what i would do at least.

JP


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## Ngaio (Oct 7, 2004)

My four khuli loaches and 6 amano shrimp have coexsisted without incident for about 18 months. And these are big, fat, mature loaches. They are housed in a planted 30 gallon tank so it's not as if they never run across each other. I don't think you'll have a problem.


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## rssjsb (Sep 8, 2003)

Thanks, you guys! Now if I could just find something to eat staghorn algae . . .


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