Kuhli loach with guppies

[Jonnyk11026]

Hi I have a couple guppies, platies, neon tetras, kuhli loaches, red cherry shrimp, and some snails. Recently two of my male guppies have died because their fins were being nipped and eventually were eaten. I have no clue as to who ate my fishes. Please help!

 

[arcab4]

my vote is on the other guppies. i had guppies that would just beat each other up and always had torn fins. then my next suspect would be the platies. neon tetras don't nip like that..loaches are on the bottom and shrimps probably ate them when they died.

how many guppies do you have? all males?

 

[Jonnyk11026]

I had 4 males and 4 females. same for platies. the two that died were both males. i bought the males and femals as a pair from liveaquaria. btw my tank is a planted 65 gallon tank

 

[arcab4]

should have plenty of room to hide and stuff for them. so you're now down to 2 males and 4 females? see if maybe their aggression will lower with less males in the tank? i still think it's the males going at each other based on my experience. i dont' think it's your tank parameters since it only affects the guppies.

 

[Jonnyk11026]

thanks for the help arcab

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yeah, the wrong male/female ratio can lead to aggression issues with guppies. Something like 3 females per 1 male would be a bit calmer. They shouldn't die from just fin nipping. Make sure you keep up on your weekly water changes. Clean water with low nitrates makes healing happen fast. Kuhlis need a group, sand substrate, specific feeding and hiding spaces to be comfortable and live long lives.

 

[Jonnyk11026]

I have the sand substrate and hiding places but what specific feeding will kuhli loaches need?

 

[arcab4]

they're nighttime feeders so i would just drop some sinking pellets when the lights turn off.

i really like this brand for my fish food and their sinking pellets did great with my cory cats.

Hikari Tropical Sinking Wafers for Catfish, Loaches and Bottom Feeders
http://amzn.to/1QjQdOT

 

[Jonnyk11026]

Thanks for the info!

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yep, like arcab4 said, sinking food is a good option for them, as is feeding them after lights-out so the other critters in the tank don't get to it first. That's how I feed some of my corys, depending on what other piglets.. er.. I mean fish are in with them.