Kuhli Loach (Pangio Kuhlii)

Common Name:

Kuhli Loach.

Other Name:

Coolie Loach.

Scientific Name:

Pangio Kuhlii.

Family:

Cypranid.

Distribution:

Thailand, Malaya,Borneo, Sumatra, Java, Indonesia.

Size:

Adult size 3-4 inches.

Diet:

Omnivorous; will readily take prepared and small live foods. Worms are a particular favourite, but should not be fed exclusively.

Water Temperature:

72-78 degrees Fahrenheit (22-26 degrees Centigrade).

Water Chemistry:

Will accept pH 6.5-7.5 Prefers soft water with pH on or below 7.0ppm (pH Neutral).

Life Span:

10 years plus.

Housing:

20 gallon minimum.

Sexing:

There is no known way to sex these loaches without cutting them open to do so.

Breeding:

Occasionally breeds in the aquarium, but it is unclear what the trigger actually is. Fry are tiny, but can be fed on green water, nauplii and microworms.

Description:

Pangio kuhlii is a 3-4 inch, eel-shaped fish with a basic orange or yellow color and 15-20 dark brown or black bars circling the body. The belly is white. There is a fairly rare albino variety where the dark bars are replaced with pink and red eyes and a "black variety" which is uniformly dark. The fins are translucent. Although loaches are generally thought of a scaleless fish, they, in fact, do have small scales. The mouth is downward-facing, with three pairs of barbels. There are no teeth in the jaw. Being Cyprinids, loaches have pharyngeal teeth (grinding teeth in their throat). Like most loaches they have subocular spines, which retract, into slots.

There are a couple of other species, which are also called kuhli loaches. Acantophthalmus myersi, is larger - about 4 inches with a much thicker body and a more slimy skin. It has 10 to 14 bars. Acanthophthalmus robiginosus, has about 20 broad dark bars which reach only about halfway to the belly and separated by very narrow orange bands. It is a smaller species, which barely reaches 2".

Requirements:

Kuhli loaches are relatively undemanding fish and once acclimatized can thrive in a wide range of water parameters, although softer and more acidic water is generally preferred. They need rounded gravel or sand, and actually seem to prefer a bit of organic mulm on the gravel, unlike most loaches who are very sensitive to it. Kuhlis prefer cooler water, around 75, although they will tolerate up to about 78 well. Temps of 80 or over are not appreciated for long periods of time.

Behaviour:

You can have just one kuhli in a tank for many years, but you won't see it much or ever see it really being a kuhli loach, with all their comical actions. If it is kept in groups, the kuhlis are much more active. They will swim in and around, under and over pieces of driftwood or around stems of plants. They will be out searching for tidbits, swimming together and hanging out on the plants. At dusk and dawn you will sometimes see them doing figure eights at the front of the tank, very fast. They are utterly peaceful and are not threatening to any fish, although they will eat eggs and non-mobile fry. They will eat small snails, but cannot be considered the best snailers in the loach group. They are completely defenseless against aggressive fish, so choose tankmates accordingly.

I have bred kuhli loaches three times over the years. I would love to be able to tell you what I did to trigger spawning, but I have no idea. The females get enormously fat right before spawning, then the male and female will swim together intertwined. I assume that spawning takes place during one of these midnight swims. I did catch sight of some of the eggs on the plants, so I assume they are egg scatterers. I have read about kuhlis being bubble nest builders, but I have seen no evidence of this. I tend to find them when they are about an inch long, usually in the parents' cave.

In common with other scaleless or small-scaled fish, they are susceptible to ich and other skin parasites. When treating, be sure to check the directions on your cure of choice and follow the directions for scaleless fish. Avoid malachite green preparations.

Tank levels:

Bottom.

Ideal Tank Mates:

All non-aggressive fish with similar requirements. Any squabbling they do is usually among themselves. These fish get along famously with clown loaches or other non-aggressive loaches. They require the company of their own kind and a group of at least three is necessary - four or more is better.

Unsuitable Tankmates:

Aggressive, territorial fish.

Photo Credit:

Photos supplied courtesy and ^©Amy Janecek AKA Buddy.