Loaches · Pangio
Kuhli loach
Pangio kuhlii · Peat swamp streams of Malaysia and Indonesia
Photo: Robert Mollik, CC BY-SA 4.0, via iNaturalist
At a glance
Water temperature
24–29 °C 75–84 °F
pH
5.5–7 soft, acidic water
Adult size
9 cm 3.5 in
Swims
Bottom mostly on the floor and in caves
Keep together
5 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Calm still or slow water
Food
Eats most foods
Temperament
Peaceful
≈ Every value here is an estimate from typical hobby ranges. We're checking them against sources.
Where it comes from
Home water
Peat swamp streams of Malaysia and Indonesia
Lives in swamp or paddy habitat.
Shaded: the countries it comes from. Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Zebra L046
Plecos · 8 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Rainbowfish · 10 cm · mid-water -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Aggressive and will eat the kuhli loach
-
Will eat the kuhli loach
-
Need a different pH
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Kuhli loach get?
About 9 cm (3.5 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Kuhli loach need?
24–29 °C (75–84 °F).
What pH does a Kuhli loach need?
pH 5.5–7.
Does a Kuhli loach need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 5.
Is the Kuhli loach aggressive?
No. It is peaceful with fish that suit the same water.
What does a Kuhli loach eat?
It eats most foods: flakes, small pellets and frozen foods.
Where does the Kuhli loach come from?
Peat swamp streams of Malaysia and Indonesia.
What fish can live with a Kuhli loach?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Zebra (L046), Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, Amano shrimp, Boeseman's rainbowfish.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 24 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 29 | Estimate |
| pH min | 5.5 | Estimate |
| pH max | 7 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 9 | Estimate |
| Flow | Low | Estimate |
| Habitat | swamp | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 5 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Estimate |
| Diet | Omnivore | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 4 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 8 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.