Eel kuhli loach

Pangio anguillaris

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

FreshwaterFish

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
Origin: Widespread across Borneo, Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and mainland Southeast Asia, living in slow streams and calm, vegetated backwaters over soft substrate.
Family: Cobitidae

Overview

Give a group of at least 5 or 6 a tank of 75 litres or more with a soft sand bed, at 22 to 28 C and pH 6.0 to 7.5. It sifts sand for insect larvae and small crustaceans, so offer sinking foods, frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp. Peaceful with anything too big to eat, though it may take eggs or very small fry, so pair it with similar-sized calm community fish.

In the wild

A longer, more eel-like relative of the common kuhli loach, reaching about 10 to 12 cm. Its body is a plain silvery to pinkish brown without the bold bands of the striped kuhlis. Like other Pangio it burrows and needs soft sand to protect its delicate barbels and skin. It is nocturnal at first but becomes bolder once it feels settled and is kept in a group.

Good to know

Despite the eel-like shape it is a true loach in the family Cobitidae, not related to eels at all. In parts of Thailand it is netted as a food fish and is far more common on the plate than in the aquarium trade.