You have had a beautiful, lively Kuhli Loach for many years. You feed it regularly and keep the tank clean. It has been swimming around happily all day long… and then one day out of nowhere your loach just stopped moving! What could be going on that your kuhli loach is not moving?
There are a variety of reasons why your kuhli loach may stop moving. Some possible causes include diseases, sickness due to pregnancy, stress from bad water conditions, hiding from other tank mates, or being sick from ammonia poisoning.
You can help get your loach back on its feet by performing water changes and maintaining the water quality in the tank. If your loach does not move after a few hours after following these tips then it is probably dead. Sadly, you will have to dispose of the body.
Kuhli Loaches are known to stop moving from time to time, but there may be a reason why they have stopped. In this blog post, we will explore some reasons why your Kuhli Loach might not be moving and what you can do about it if this is the case.
Reasons Why Your Kuhli Loach Isn’t Moving
Your kuhli loach may cease moving for a variety of reasons. Diseases, sickness due to pregnancy, stress from poor water conditions, hiding from other tank mates, or being sick from ammonia poisoning are all possible causes.
Diseases
If your Kuhli Loach is not moving this could be a sign that it has contracted a disease. It is difficult to treat kuhli loaches when they are sick, especially if you cannot figure out what the cause of their illness is.
Often times there isn’t much that can be done for them other than making sure they have a healthy environment and hope they fight off the disease on their own. Kuhli loaches are also prone to internal parasites so you should watch out for this as well.
More on Kuhli loach diseases on:
Pregnant Kuhli Loach Undergoing Labor
If your female kuhli loach stops moving and is laying on the bottom of your tank this could be a sign they are going into labor. You can know that the kuhli loaches are pregnant by various methods.
Female kuhli loaches give birth to live young, and you may notice little baby Kuhli Loach Fish swimming around in the water column if their mother has given birth recently.
Stress from Bad Water Conditions (o₂ Deprivation, pH, Temperature)
If your Kuhli Loach is not moving this could be a sign that it is stressed due to poor water conditions. One of the most common causes of stress in kuhli loach fish is lack of oxygen. Make sure you have a good filter and regular water changes to ensure they all get enough oxygen in the water.
Learn more on Do pH Levels Affect Kuhli Loach?
Hiding From Other Tank Mates
Kuhli loaches are nocturnal, meaning they are most active during nighttime hours when many fish are sleeping. Kuhli loaches do best in species-only tanks because they are easily intimidated by other tank mates.
If your kuhli loach is sick or has stopped moving, you could have a problem with aggressive tank mates that are hunting them down while they sleep at night time hours.
Stress from Ammonia Poisoning
If your kuhli loach is not moving this could be a sign that they are stressed from ammonia poisoning. Often times this kind of stress can lead to death.
Ammonia poisoning causes fish distress and damage to their gills, which reduces the amount of oxygen that gets into their bloodstream. Symptoms include lethargy, scratching against objects, redness on the body of the fish, and death. If you have an ammonia problem in your tank it is important to fix this as soon as possible before your kuhli loach dies.
Improper Feeding
Kuhli loaches are scavenger fish, which means they eat up scraps and leftovers in the tank as well as algae. They should be fed sinking food such as shrimp pellets or krill.
But sometimes they can mistake other fish for their food and try to eat them. Make sure you feed your kuhli loach at least three times a day. Similarly, you should monitor other fish in the tank to make sure they are not getting fed too.
Sleep
Kuhli loaches sleep at night time hours for several hours after you turn out the lights. If your kuhli loach is sleeping more than usual, this could be a sign that something is wrong with their environment.
How to Deal With Kuhli Loach That Stopped Moving?
After you see that your kuhli loach has stopped moving, the best thing to do is check the conditions in your tank. Make sure you have a filter. Additionally, you should perform regular water changes to keep the pollution levels in your tank under control.
Another good idea is to buy an air stone and oxygenate your tank or add an airstone if you don’t already have one. Make sure you cover them properly.
Perform Water Changes
One of the best things you can do is perform regular water changes. Make sure your kuhli loach is getting all of the right nutrients in their water. This also helps reduce parasites and diseases.
If you have plants, algae, or live food in the tank, it is a good idea to remove them when doing a water change. This will ensure your kuhli loach is healthy and lively.
Maintain Water Conditions
Keeping the right water conditions is also key to keeping healthy kuhli loaches. If you have pH levels, hardness, and temperature all balanced out properly, this will help reduce stress on your fish and keep them healthy.
Temperature: 73 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit
Ph: 5.5 and 6.5
Hardness: 5 dGH
Oxygenate Your Tank Water
If your tank does not have a good filtration system, it is important to oxygenate your water to make sure there is enough oxygen in the water for the kuhli loach’s survival.
You can do this by having an air pump and airstone running. Or you can use a water conditioner that contains an oxygen atomizer.
Keep Friendly Tank Mates
Make sure you have other tank mates in the tank so your kuhli loach cannot be bullied or picked on. They are nocturnal fish. So they will be active at night time hours when most aggressive fish are not as active.
You can find a better view about kuhli loach tankmates on:
Treat Diseases
Kuhli loaches are very prone to getting sick if their water conditions are not good. By maintaining good tank conditions and performing regular water changes, you can prevent many common diseases like ich and fin rot. If your kuhli loach is showing signs of disease, it is important to move them into a quarantine tank. You can start treatment immediately.
Feed Properly
The proper diet for Kuhli loach includes a series of both plant and meat based food. You can feed them vegetables like cucumber, zucchini and much more. However, for more nutrition balance it with a blend of bloodworms, daphnia, microworms, brine shrimps and so on. For more information on feeding, you can take a look at our other articles:
Is Your Kuhli Loach Dead Or Just Not Moving?
You may assist your loach in getting back on its feet by doing water changes. You can also maintain the tank’s water quality. If your loach does not move after a few hours of following these instructions, it is most likely dead. You will need to dispose of it.
FAQ
Why Is My Kuhli Loach Swimming At Top Of The Tank?
This behavior is known as “loafing” and shows that the kuhli loach is happy. If your kuhli loach seems to be doing this all of the time it could mean that they are stressed out or sick.
What Is the Lifespan Of Kuhli Loach?
Kuhli loaches can live up to 15 years in captivity if you can keep their water conditions safe.
Final Words
There are many reasons your kuhli loach might not be moving. But by performing regular water changes, feeding them properly, and monitoring other tank mates the problem should resolve itself. If you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to ask us here!
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