# Are my Kuhli Loaches are eating?



## Tommy (Mar 18, 2011)

So its been 7 days since I set up my 20 litre planted aquarium, it has 4 cherry shrimp, 3 small Kuhli Loaches and I just put 5 Cardinal Tetras in today. My question is how do I know if my loaches are eating? I know they eat at night and im not expecting to see them eat, but every day just before I turn my light off I drop a small amount of 1mm sinking pellets in the tank.
Ive started noticing un eaten pellets on the floor of my tank with a clearish algae growing around them. Im only putting a very very small amount of pellets in so I cant see why there would be any left over unless they are not eating them... The only thing I can think of is they dont like them or they are eating my plants instead like my java moss or something? They seem healthy and still swim around at night.ught

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Tommy said:


> So its been 7 days since I set up my 20 litre planted aquarium, it has 4 cherry shrimp, 3 small Kuhli Loaches and I just put 5 Cardinal Tetras in today. My question is how do I know if my loaches are eating? I know they eat at night and im not expecting to see them eat, but every day just before I turn my light off I drop a small amount of 1mm sinking pellets in the tank.
> Ive started noticing un eaten pellets on the floor of my tank with a clearish algae growing around them. Im only putting a very very small amount of pellets in so I cant see why there would be any left over unless they are not eating them... The only thing I can think of is they dont like them or they are eating my plants instead like my java moss or something? They seem healthy and still swim around at night.ught
> 
> Thoughts? Thanks in advance.


I would remove any uneaten foods from the tank that i could get to with syphon,or turkey baster.
Your tank is very new and overstocked with the five cardinal tetra's just added?
Have you read about the nitrogen cycle in new aquariums?
Fishes,fish food,fish poop, produce ammonia which is toxic to your pets and the more fishes added,the more ammonia is present.
Your plant's are in my view the only thing preventing the ammonia levels in such a new tank from poisoning your present fishes and to be safe,,,I would remove half the water from the five gal tank at the very least,,once each day and replace the water you take out with fresh dechlorinated water that was close to same temp as the aquarium.
Would feed the tank a tiny amount of flake food once every couple days for the next month. hopefully this will prevent toxins like ammonia,and nitrites from killing your fish.
Would also purchase a test kit for ammonia and nitrites and would test the aquarium water each day once in the morning,,and once in the evening and be prepared to perform water change of perhaps two gallons.
Lot's of plant's that are thriving, will be your friend during the next month, but I would remove those that die or look to be dying for they too, will contribute to poor water conditions for your fishes,shrimps.
The five gallon tank you just set up would have been about right for shrimp. Is a bit small for three kuhlii's and five tetra's.
Until you get a test kit,,I would just perform daily 50 percent water change with dechlorinator each day and feed very very little.Iif you are seeing uneaten food on the bottom,,then reduce the amount offered.


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## Tommy (Mar 18, 2011)

1077 said:


> I would remove any uneaten foods from the tank that i could get to with syphon,or turkey baster.
> Your tank is very new and overstocked with the five cardinal tetra's just added?
> Have you read about the nitrogen cycle in new aquariums?
> Fishes,fish food,fish poop, produce ammonia which is toxic to your pets and the more fishes added,the more ammonia is present.
> ...


thanks for the advice... I thought my tank would be over crowded aswell but my LFS guy said it would be ok as long as i kept the tank clean...in regards to the loaches, Im only keeping them til they get bigger then giving them to my mate who has a 6 foot tank, I only have them in mine because I think they are the coolest fish you can have lol. And yes Im doing very regular water changes and I have been testing the water for PH which is at about 6.9, and after your advice I will buy the other testers first thing in the morning.

I have another question which Id like to ask aswell.
I bought HC Cuba from the LFS last week and put it in my tank, then after I did some research I noticed alot of people grow it without hardly any water at first so that the plant can root itself properly before they fill the tank(apparently it also grows and spreads quicker this way). I have a spare tank which is a 1 or 2 foot tank, but am not using it as I have no room. If I was to syphon the water out of my 20 litre into the 1 or2 foot tank and put my fish in it so that i can try and grow HC in my small tank for around 2 weeks, would that be too much stress on my fish and also ruin the cycling process? I was thinking if i put my fish, filter and heater into the other tank and maybe put 10litres in each day it might be ok? Just until the HC has rooted and isnt going to go anywhere? Then just top my 20 litre tank up with the same water the fish and plants were in once the HC is ready?

Thanks heaps.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Tommy said:


> thanks for the advice... I thought my tank would be over crowded aswell but my LFS guy said it would be ok as long as i kept the tank clean...in regards to the loaches, Im only keeping them til they get bigger then giving them to my mate who has a 6 foot tank, I only have them in mine because I think they are the coolest fish you can have lol. And yes Im doing very regular water changes and I have been testing the water for PH which is at about 6.9, and after your advice I will buy the other testers first thing in the morning.
> 
> I have another question which Id like to ask aswell.
> I bought HC Cuba from the LFS last week and put it in my tank, then after I did some research I noticed alot of people grow it without hardly any water at first so that the plant can root itself properly before they fill the tank(apparently it also grows and spreads quicker this way). I have a spare tank which is a 1 or 2 foot tank, but am not using it as I have no room. If I was to syphon the water out of my 20 litre into the 1 or2 foot tank and put my fish in it so that i can try and grow HC in my small tank for around 2 weeks, would that be too much stress on my fish and also ruin the cycling process? I was thinking if i put my fish, filter and heater into the other tank and maybe put 10litres in each day it might be ok? Just until the HC has rooted and isnt going to go anywhere? Then just top my 20 litre tank up with the same water the fish and plants were in once the HC is ready?
> ...


 You would in my view, need to move filter ,heater, fish,and plant's to the larger tank.
I would give the kuhlii loaches to my friend now,and leave the cardinals where they are with the plant's and start the HC in the larger tank. Once the HC took hold, (three to four weeks) then I might move fish,filter ,heater,and plant's from the five gallon.


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