Kuhli loach

Pangio kuhlii

Also known as Coolie loach

FreshwaterFish

Kuhli loach (Pangio kuhlii) — no rights reserved · cc0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.0
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Very common
Origin: Southeast Asia (Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, Java)
Family: Cobitidae

Overview

Keep them in a group of at least five or six, since on their own they hide constantly and stress, in a tank of 75 liters or larger. They are peaceful bottom dwellers that come out mostly at night to forage, so feed sinking foods like pellets, wafers, and frozen bloodworms after the lights go down. Water should sit at 22 to 28 C with a pH from 6 to 7, and the substrate must be fine soft sand because sharp gravel damages their barbels. Being scaleless, they are sensitive to salt and many medications, so dose carefully and at reduced strength. Keep a tight lid as well, since they will work through small gaps and escape.

In the wild

Kuhli loaches come from slow forest streams and leaf-littered pools across Southeast Asia, including the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. These are warm, soft, slightly acidic waters with a soft bottom they can burrow into. To match that, give them a tank of at least 75 liters with fine soft sand, plenty of hiding places like driftwood and plant roots, and a dim setup since they are nocturnal. Keep the water warm at 22 to 28 C with a pH from 6 to 7.

Good to know

This is an eel-shaped, scaleless loach in the family Cobitidae, reaching about 10 cm as an adult. Captive breeding is essentially unrecorded, so almost every fish in the trade is wild caught. With good care they can live several years, and being scaleless makes them more delicate than most community fish.

Did you know

Kuhli loaches have a small spine that folds out from beneath each eye, which they can flick up as a defense. If a larger fish tries to swallow one, that spine can lodge in its mouth or throat, and netting one is awkward for the same reason since the spine snags the mesh.