Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Freshwater Loaches > Kuhli Loach

Kuhli Loach

Prickly Eye, Coolie Loach, Giant Coolie Loach, Leopard Loach Family: Cobitidae

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Pangio kuhlii Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Ken Childs

   The wiggly little Kuhli Loach keeps quite busy scurrying around plants and roots, squeezing between rocks, and exploring cracks and crevices searching for food. These great little cleaners make a welcome addition to a community aquarium, snacking on foods left uneaten by the other fish!

   These active fascinating little fish are exported by the millions. Though peaceful, the Kuhli Loach is nocturnal and is most active at night. They can also be quite shy and will seldom be seen if kept alone. This doesn't mean they are a schooling fish, as they are not, but they are more comfortable and more likely to come out of hiding if they have some companions. A group of a half dozen or so will make them more prone to behave as they would in nature. They are quite hardy and can live for several years.

   The Kuhli Loach's body has a pinkish yellow background color crossed by 12 to 17 vertical dark bars and has three bars on its head. There are no scales on the head, the eyes are covered by a transparent skin with a short spine in front of them, and they have 3 pairs of whisker-like barbels. The dorsal and pelvic fins are set very far back with the anal fin set at the end of the base of the dorsal fin.

   This little fish was originally named and is best known as the Kuhli Loach or Prickly Eye, but there are quite a few other common names often associated with this fish. For example, in the United States this loach is sometimes also called the Coolie Loach, Giant Coolie Loach, or Leopard Loach.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Distribution:
   The Kuhli Loaches are found in southeast Asia; Sumatra, Singapore, western Malaysia, Java, Borneo, and Thailand. They live in sandy areas of rivers and mountain streams.

Size - Weight:
   These fish can get up to 4 inches (10 cm), though they are usually smaller in the aquarium.

Social Behaviors:
   A peaceful community fish and a great scavenger of uneaten foods that settle to the bottom of the aquarium. They hide during the day, but are quite lively and active in the evening. Though they do not school, they will be more likely to come out of hiding if they are kept with some companions. A singly kept Kuhli Loach will seldom be seen.

Sexual Differences:
   Unknown, though a female with eggs will be plumper. (See the top photo above.)

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish are mostly bottom dwellers.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: to 5° dH
   Ph: 5.5 - 6.5
   Temp: 73-86° F (24-30° C), they can tolerate low 80°s for a short period.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Not much is known about the breeding habits of the Kuhli Loach, though they have been bred successfully in the aquarium. They scatter bright green adhesive eggs underneath floating plants where the eggs then attach to the stems and roots. The eggs have been described by Herbert Axelrod as a type of bubble nest, with each egg enclosed in a bubble. They are not yet bred commercially.

Availability:
   The Kuhli Loach is readily available.

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Latest Comments
I have one kuhli and it is pitch black and looks so cool. At first when I got it, it hid all the time and I thought it was going to die cause I never saw it eat. But now it's out all the time and I see it cleaning the bottom. henry luepke 2009-05-13
I love my Kuhlis!! I got five of them 'cause I read they were more active in groups and I absolutely love them. They're so much fun to watch, almost as if they have a human personality, awesome loaches..... and they aren't even afraid of my Kribensis cichlids! Kamperoni 2009-01-23
I wonder if this loach will eat small snails. I gotta get ride of these things they are getting out of control. jamal 2008-07-20
I bought 6 of these one day when they were on sale, 3 for $1.99 - love them so much I bought six more when they weren't on sale! They are shy for sure, but that makes seeing one of them poking a head out from a hiding place all that more special. And of the six in the gourami tank, two are quite active all the time. Pierce Tulley 2008-03-11
I had 2 of these wonderful creatures in my first tank and they disappeared. I kinda forgot about them and a year later while thoroughly cleaning the tank they were both alive and very fat! One started coming out regularly, and would swim in circles! I just got a new 5 gallon eclipse which i decorated with an asian temple decoration. It has 4 small openings and he quickly found this and now lives in the asian temple, every once in a while sticking his head out. Awesome! He doesn't bother his tank mates and has such a mysterious personality! I love him! Megan 2008-01-05
Some of the coolest comments:
I have had a kuhli loach in a heavily planted 20 gal. tank for 12 years. A couple of years ago, when I had not seen him for several weeks, I thought he must have died. Then I noticed my shrimp disappearing. He eventually ate all my shrimp and looked like a loach on steroids! I now make sure he is well fed. I don't know their lifespan, but he is going on 12 and 1/2 years. He has survived everything else several times over. John Bennett 2009-01-28
These snake like fish make a pretty good clean up crew. I have 5 of these little snake like fish and they eat most of my tanks left overs. The corries help as well. These fast little critters make an excellent addition to a non aggressive topical tank. I've had no trouble with them except I don't know what little mischief they get up to. I'm not even sure if they are all alive. I have 2 big ones who are always out and about. If you do find an interest in these fish and you want to buy, make sure they are in a small shoal of 4 or more. If you have 2 or 3 you wont see them often. If you only have one, don't expect to see him often. When they are visible they usually travel in 2's or 3's. The Fish Guy 2008-12-17

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Author: Clarice Brough. CFS.