One of the most heartbreaking things to watch in the aquarium fish is the way they are losing color. One day, Out of the blue you find out that your fish doesn’t have the same brightness and vibrancy in their body color. And you have no idea what happened. And when it comes to bottom-dwellers and nocturnal fish like Kuhli loach, you will take time to even notice the change let alone understand what is going on. Kuhli loach losing color from the body is quite a common complaint.
But why is Kuhli loach losing its color?
Ans: Kuhli loach is quite sensitive to lighting and water parameters. When the light is way brighter or the water parameters aren’t optimum, then you will find your Kuhli loach losing its color. Sometimes, these loaches lose their color while taking rest as well.
If your Kuhli loach is losing color while sleeping and there is no other causative agent, then the color will be back in no time.
However, if there is any other reason, then it is time to investigate this case properly. That’s why I have divided each question related to Kuhli loach losing color into different subheadings.
Read this article carefully in order to understand this color fading or losing mechanism of Kuhli loach.
Why Is My Kuhli Loach Losing Color?
If you see your Kuhli loach without stripes or their vibrant color, you will be shocked and heartbroken.
I have been through this once and I know the way your heart sinks when you don’t see Kuhli loach in their natural state.
Even the slightest change in the Kuhli loach behavior or color can make you question everything you are doing for your fish and aquarium.
When you see your Kuhli losing its color, it is high time to question your action. 90% of the time you are the culprit who made your Kuhli loach behave out of order.
Resting Kuhli Loach
Kuhli loach often looks pale or lighter color while they are sleeping or resting. It is quite common with most fish with a brighter color.
Do not panic over this and check for a night or two. Most of the time, their color will be back within the next day normally.
If they do not regain the vibrancy of their color after a few nights, then the reason behind losing the color can be something else.
Old Age
Here, this reason right here is not your fault. Kuhli loach will lose color when they start to grow older. Have you ever heard someo0ne talk about how old people lost the glow from their faces?
Aging is no joke and it can affect any type of living being. In the case of Kuhli loach, old age is quite evident when their color fades little by little.
That doesn’t mean you did something wrong and I will not be blaming you for this reason. Old age is an inevitable truth that anyone alive has to face.
The glow, vibrancy, and the activeness, all of this starts to face away little by little when the age starts to reach its peak.
Inadequate Water Parameters
What if you are stuck in a room with a temperature below zero degrees or somewhere that is not your ideal living environment?
You will start to fall sick and pale and it is quite evident from the color of your body that you are not feeling well.
This is what happens to your Kuhli loach when you fail to maintain the optimum water parameters. Not that they are fussy and will give you workload for simple changes once in a fortnight.
But when the fluctuation and inconsistency in the water parameters are constant with no sign of improvement, your Kuhli loach will, then, start to rebel.
First, they will find a place to hide or try to jump out of the tank to escape that hell. And the failure of these trails while trying to save themselves strikes, they will start to get sick and stressed.
Stress and sickness will always make your fish leave their normal routine and behavior. Hence, the color starts to fade and gets lighter and lighter every day due to the complications in the tank environment.
I have also written an article on Ammonia Poisoning in Fish Tank | How to Get Rid of It
Stress Due To Bullying Tank Mates
Fish losing their color out of the blue is often a sign of stress and what can stress your Kuhli loach more than a bullying tank mates.
One time, I lost my Kuhli loach in the tank and thought it probably died or other fish ate him. But after few months, while I was cleaning my tank, I found my Kuhli loach hiding below the decoration rock looking sick with lost vibrancy.
That’s when I researched about these loaches properly and what actually happened for them to behave strangely.
I found out that the tank mates that Kuhli loach had, were not the ideal ones for them. Those larger fish bullied my Kuhli loach which made him lose its color and hide to save their life.
Hence, an incompatible tank mate in the tank can make the life of Kuhli loach hell. So, let alone the color, your Kuhli loach will be so stressed that they can end up falling sick and even die.
Brighter Lighting
You know your Kuhli loach is nocturnal, right? And you probably have the idea that they prefer a darker environment with very minimal lighting.
But what happens when you fail to maintain a darker environment for them? Or what happens when the light is way brighter than necessary?
I can understand why you are trying to light up the tank but seeing your Kuhli loach with the help of brighter and high-powered light is quite impossible.
You see, your Kuhli loach will hide under or inside the decorations or plants and will most probably bury themselves in the sand when the aquarium is well-lit.
They will only come out when the light is off. So, the only thing you will be doing with high-powered light for Kuhli loach is stressing them.
These brighter lights will act as the sun discoloring the color of your Kuhli loach. And trust me, you will not like to see the consequences of your simple mistake.
Can Kuhli Loaches Change Color?
Yes, your Kuhli loaches can change their color. But no, they are not similar to chameleons. You will find your Kuhli loach changing its color depending on its mood.
When these loaches are happy and comfortable in the tank, they will be more vibrant and bright. You can easily see their stripes and color combination where each color stands out on its own.
But when the water quality and environment they are living in start to go downhill, your Kuhli loach will act accordingly.
They will start to lose their color and the vibrancy of their body will fade off slowly. Also, if you see the Kuhli loach color fading out, look at the lighting.
The brighter light will act like a sun creating a tan in a white body. You might be familiar with the discoloration of many things when they are kept in sun for a longer period.
The same thing happens with your fish in the tank. That’s why you will feel like these Kuhli loaches are changing their color.
But apparently, they are losing their color due to the high brightness of the light and the different level of stress.
So, Kuhli loaches don’t actually change color but their color get lighter when they are stressed.
Do Kuhli Loaches Shed Their Skin?
Now, the answer to this question can be quite complicated. I cannot decide if I should say yes or No. The answer depends on the fact that if you consider slime coat as their skin or not.
So, let me start with Yes here. Yes, Kuhli loach does shed their skin once in a while similar to that of snakes. But you will not be able to tell that.
Now, coming to the ‘No’ of my answer. No, they don’t, in reality, shed skin but the slime coat. As these fish lack scales, they have slime coat which they will shed while growing up.
This slime coat is like a sheet that is clear and transparent and most of the time a gel-like mass. It can be quite stingy and you will have to remove it from the tank.
Kuhli Loach Shedding Slime Coat
Essentially, every fish shed their SLIME COAT NOT SKIN but you will not be able to notice it. Hence, the thing that your Kuhli loach is shedding is their slime coat or the slimy outer layer of their body.
It is quite a normal process and a very natural thing to do while your Kuhli loach is growing up. Hence if you are able to see this process, this will happen quite frequently during the growth phase of Kuhli loach.
But the chances of you being able to notice this shedding is quite null. As your fish sheds in quite tiny bits and very little by little so it is hard for normal eyes to notice.
Hence, provided that the quantity of shedding is quite large and you can clearly see it with your eyes, then this might be something else.
Your Kuhli loach might be dealing with something else and most probably suffering as well. That’s why it is necessary to call in an expert or your vet to find out what’s wrong.
Your Kuhli loach sheds extra slime coat and quite more than usual when they are stressed due to catching or chasing game or war in the aquarium.
Will The Kuhli Loach Regain Its Color After Losing It?
Yes, if the tank conditions are responsible for the color fading in Kuhli loach then there is a chance that your fish can go back to normal.
You have to take the necessary steps in order to help your fish regain its color and it can quite easy for you most of the time.
But the aging factor of color fading is untreatable and you cannot do anything about it. You have to let your old fish be as it is and should not force it to behave normally.
Because the faded color is the new normal for them and you cannot go against the natural process of aging.
How Can You Help Kuhli Loach To Get Back Its Color?
The fading color can be the sign of stress in Kuhli loach and the fact that the environment they are living in is not ideal for them.
Either way, you are the one who will be held responsible if something goes wrong in the tank. Hence, you have to take necessary actions as soon as you see your Kuhli loach losing color.
First of all, test the water quality and the water parameters. If the water parameters are the main culprit here, try to maintain it back to ideal.
Once, the water parameters go back to normal, your Kuhli loach will start to feel comfortable again and will regain its color.
Similarly, remove the tank mates that might have been bullying your Kuhli loach. Additionally, feed these loaches enough nutritious diet regularly.
When your Kuhli loach is back to the basic routine with a properly balanced diet, you will find them regaining the lost color.
The vibrancy and brightness in their body color will be back once all the parameters are back to ideal and the bullies are out of the way.
And of course, turn down the lighting and try to keep it on the darker side while remembering to turn it off at night.
This will help your nocturnal fish behave normally and comfortably in the tank. Also, if the color fading is just the result of their resting phase, then their color will be back on its own.
How Long Will It Take To Regain The Lost Color Of Kuhli Loach?
If your Kuhli loach lost its color when they were taking a break and resting, then it will back within a day or two.
Most of the time the color will be back to normal after you start treating your Kuhli loach properly. Once the water parameters are back to ideal and you are feeding them good food with proper lighting, then wait for few days for a good result.
After few days you will start to see the faded color getting back to normal in the Kuhli loach body. If you check them and look at them carefully, you will the vibrancy and brightness in the color of Kuhli loach will be as it is supposed to be within the interval of few weeks.
How To Prevent The Kuhli Loach From Losing Its Color?
If you are careful enough about the fish you have, then there is barely any chance for your fish to behave strangely.
They will live happily and comfortably in the tank till the tank environment is favorable for them. Once the things start to the south in the tank, you are doomed and your fish will be having a hard time adjusting there.
Kuhli Loach is not that different when it comes to dealing with the changes in the aquarium. That’s why they will start to lose their color and sometimes even life when the water conditions go sour.
I will help you maintain the tank so you don’t mess up and make your Kuhli loach lose color or life. Follow the instructions carefully to avoid any complications related to the Kuhli loach.
- Maintain the water parameters ideal at all the time.
- Change 25% of the water once every week or fortnight. But Do not overdo it as too much water change can be harmful to your fish.
- Keep compatible tank mates with Kuhli loach or keep Kuhli loach tank only.
- Always keep the lighting to a minimum and remember to turn off the light at night.
- Do not compromise in diet or any other things that Kuhli loach ask for survival in captivity.
Here is an article on Kuhli Loach Care: Tank Size, Tank Mates, Lifespan, Breeding and More
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some of the most asked questions that confuse most people. Hope this makes it easier for you to raise Kuhli loach.
Why Are My Kuhli Loaches Dying?
Kuhli Loach is not that fragile to die over simple things. I know they can be quite a handful to handle and take care of if you are a beginner but they won’t die off easily.
There are various reasons hidden behind the fact that your Kuhli loach death and you need to investigate it properly.
Stress, equipment malfunction, bullying tank mates, or inadequate water quality can be the culprit behind the death of your Kuhli loach.
The slightest yet constant fluctuation in the water parameters can make your Kuhli loach stressed and will invite various diseases to their way.
Once your Kuhli loach starts to face various triggering factors in the tank, it will go into hiding. But if the condition continues to get worse, then your Kuhli Loach will start to die one by one.
Take necessary actions and precautions beforehand to save your Kuhli loach from untimely death. If you are careful enough with the water quality and proper diet along with the compatible tank mates, your Kuhli loach will only die when they reach their old age.
What Colors Do Kuhli Loaches Come In?
There are many types of species of fish that are often called Kuhli loach. Most of the time, the only difference between these various Kuhli loaches is the color of their body.
There are quite a few Kuhli loaches that are well-known in the world of the aquarium. And their color is the most attractive part of them when it comes to keeping them in the tank.
You can either go for Black Kuhli loaches or Pangio oblonga which are one of the most common Kuhli loaches you can find in a home aquarium.
These loaches are brownish or blackish in color with yellow bands all over their body. They are also known as striped Kuhli loaches as well.
Or there is another variety of Kuhli loach that you will unquestionably love if you are in love with the combination of pink, yellow, and brown.
Yes, there is one Pangio Kuhli that has a combination of pink yellow, and black. You will find Pangio Kuhli loach with pinkish and yellowish bodies and will have dark brown bands.
There is another one that is famous in the aquarium world with the name of Kuhli loach as well. Although they are often called eel loach or silver eel, they are described as Kuhli loach.
This one is like a Kuhli loach with no bands. You will only find a clean silvery body similar to that of an eel swimming in the tank when you keep this Silver Kuhli loach in the tank. If you have a hard time finding them or differentiating them search for Pangio anguillaris which is the scientific name of silver eel loach.
Conclusion
In conclusion, do not panic when your Kuhli loach starts to lose color. Stress has never been a good trigger for either fish or fish owners. You need to sit back and test the water to check if there is any ammonia spike or any other chemical changes. Kuhli loach will not behave rationally without any sudden changes. You have to also make sure the tank mates are not bullying or irritating your Kuhli loaches. If you take care of small details in the tank, your Kuhli loach would barely lose color.
Lighting can be the prime cause for them to lose their color. Hence, be careful with the lighting of the tank; and do not let the nocturnal being like Kuhli loach suffer bright light. Also, don’t worry, sometimes the color gets lighter while your Kuhli loach is resting and will be back within a day or two.
If you have any questions related to Kuhli loach, there are many more for you to look at. Give a tour once. Or you can ask me in the comment section, I will try to answer it for you.
Good Luck!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!!
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