Kuhli Loach

General information

These fish are black, have few to no scales and a mouth surrounded by barbels, they are small only reaching 4 inches. They are nocturnal so they are more active in the evening and at night. To keep these fish in captivity, there should be moving water with temperature ranging from 79ºF to 85ºF and a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. The tank should have plenty of hiding places, caves, plants, rocks and a sandy substrate. Kuhli loaches can be kept in community aquariums with small and non-aggressive tankmates. They can be kept alone, however, they should be kept in groups of 3 or more to be more confident and feel more secure in the tank. A 20 gallon tank is the minimum recommended for a small group.

This species is omnivorous. In the wild it feeds on insect larvae, crustaceans and plant material. In captivity it can be fed with flakes or live foods like Daphnia, Artemia and worms.

Females are wider and rounder.

Due to having no scales, these fish are extremely susceptible to skin diseases.

This species originated in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. It inhabits well oxygenated rivers and streams.