TankBud

Borneo kuhli loach

Pangio borneensis

Also known as Bornean kuhli, Red kuhli loach

FreshwaterFish

Borneo kuhli loach (Pangio borneensis)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
5.5–7.0
Adult size
2.5 in
6.3 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cobitidae
Origin
Western Borneo

Overview

The Borneo kuhli loach is a social, wiggling bottom fish for a dim, peaceful community tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

Mixed kuhli imports from Borneo can hold three or four species in one bag. Most keepers never know that their kuhlis are a sampler of the genus.

Caring for the Borneo kuhli loach

Set up the classic Pangio tank for Borneo kuhli loaches, with fine sand, leaf litter, roots and dim light. A tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more suits a group.

Keep the water warm, at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C), and acidic to neutral, at a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. After dark, they thread through the litter and roots, looking for worms and small sinking foods.

Keep six or more, since kuhlis are social and vanish when kept in ones and twos. They are peaceful, but avoid boisterous tank mates and any fish that could fit a kuhli in its mouth.

Good to know

The Borneo kuhli loach, Pangio borneensis, belongs to the banded kuhli group of the family Cobitidae. Its saddles are narrower and more numerous than those of the classic kuhli. Borneo is home to several look-alike Pangio species.

In the wild

The Borneo kuhli loach comes from western Borneo. It lives there in soft waters that are often dark with tannins.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Borneo kuhli loach is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Borneo kuhli loach need?

A Borneo kuhli loach needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Borneo kuhli loach need?

A Borneo kuhli loach is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.0.

What does a Borneo kuhli loach eat?

A Borneo kuhli loach eats worms and small sinking foods. It hunts for them through leaf litter and roots after dark.

How big does a Borneo kuhli loach get?

An adult Borneo kuhli loach reaches about 2.5 in (6.3 cm).

Related species