Need help identifying fish please!

by **zambize** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:03 pm

My fish store told me that my new fish is a Black Kuhlii Loach, but it isn't. It is a few inches long, solid brown, no fins, round, eel-like. The fish store "said" that it won't get much longer, maybe an inch or two. I bought two of them. When I got home I looked up "Black Kuhlii Loach" to learn more (yes, I usually do this before buying the fish), and discovered that it is light colored with dark stripes....nothing like my fish. I went back and asked again what the fish is....the guy said that maybe it is a "Brown Kuhlii Loach". I can't find any record of such a thing. He suggested maybe some sort of Dojo, but pictures of that show sort of a long, narrow fish. My fish appears more round. Any ideas? Getting a pic could be tough. It is being shy right now.

Thanks...
Z

by **breaknrun911** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:22 am

best way for me to help is to get some type of pic. i have a couple ideas but pic would help

by **Tmercier834747** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:33 pm

yeah, I can only speculate so much, sorry Z. A noticeable thing about kuhlis is the head. Most varying species share similar characteristics in the head. The barbels..they'll have little tiny barbels, smaller than most corydoras. If you look very closely you may see some sort of ''eyelid'' which actually sticks straight up out of the skin just above their beady little eyes. Supposedly this acts to fold down and protect the eyes when the fish burrows but I never saw mine do it, and they lived just above sand for over a year.... I originally got them to sift my substrate but they always preferred to hang out in my amazon sword..
Coloring is not always the first and best way to identify a fish because almost any fish will have varying degrees of color depending on temperament and stress levels.

by **zambize** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:10 pm

It will be impossible to get a pic of this fish. It is extremely shy and FAST. At the moment, the two I have stay in a cave. If I lift the cave to rustle them out, they move like lightening to the plants. I have to, literally, not blink to even see them do that. I can't get a close enough look to see their eyelids. LOL If you have any other ideas I would appreciate it. I'll research your ideas and maybe find something.

Thanks,
Z

by **Tmercier834747** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 7:34 pm

Try getting another look at them at the LFS you got them from. I'm sure you know most fish are more comfortable in numbers, so they may be less stressed and more naturally colored. Or just give yours a few days without disturbance. Kuhlis can be very shy, especially as adults, so it doesn't sound out of reach that you may have some sort of kuhli. Mine were pretty crazy when they were young.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqmaFTdlKlo

Need help identifying fish please!

5 posts