TankBud

Eel kuhli loach

Pangio anguillaris

Also known as Silver kuhli loach, Eel loach, Acanthophthalmus anguillaris

FreshwaterFish

Eel kuhli loach (Pangio anguillaris)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
4.7 in
12 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cobitidae
Origin
Widespread across Borneo, Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and mainland Southeast Asia, living in slow streams and calm, vegetated backwaters over soft substrate.

Overview

The eel kuhli loach is a peaceful, burrowing loach for the bottom of a calm community tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

The eel kuhli loach is netted as a food fish in parts of Thailand. It is far more common on the plate than in the aquarium trade.

Caring for the eel kuhli loach

Give a group of eel kuhli loaches a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more with a soft sand bed. Like other Pangio, they burrow, and soft sand protects their delicate barbels and skin. Fit a tight lid and fill any small gaps. A startled Pangio can wriggle up filter intakes or out through tiny openings.

Keep the water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. The eel kuhli loach sifts sand for insect larvae and small crustaceans. Offer sinking foods, frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp.

Keep at least five or six together. It is nocturnal at first, but it becomes bolder once it feels settled in a group. It is peaceful with anything too big to eat, though it may take eggs or very small fry. Pair it with calm community fish of a similar size.

Good to know

The eel kuhli loach is a true loach in the family Cobitidae. Despite its eel-like shape, it is not related to eels at all. It is a longer relative of the common kuhli loach. Its body is a plain silvery to pinkish brown, without the bands of the striped kuhlis.

In the wild

The eel kuhli loach is widespread across Borneo, Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and mainland Southeast Asia. It lives in slow streams and calm, vegetated backwaters over a soft bottom.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The eel 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 an eel kuhli loach need?

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

What temperature and pH does an eel kuhli loach need?

An eel kuhli loach is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does an eel kuhli loach eat?

An eel kuhli loach sifts sand for insect larvae and small crustaceans. Offer it sinking foods, frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp.

How big does an eel kuhli loach get?

An adult eel kuhli loach reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).

Related species