The Kuhli Loach is a small worm-like or
eel-shaped freshwater fish belonging to the loach family (Cobitidae).
It is elongated with slightly compressed sides, and very small
translucent fins. The dorsal fin starts behind the middle of the body,
and the anal fin well behind this. The eyes are covered with a
transparent skin, and there are four pairs of barbels about their
mouth.
Kuhli Loaches are
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 (not
necessarily available in Aust.) and a "black variety" which is
uniformly dark.
All kuhli's need well-established
aquaria and should not be considered for newly set up tanks. They are a
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. They appreciate caves, holes, and other
places to hide. Because they come from streams, they absolutely love
water currents in the aquarium.
Best kept in groups, the larger the better. Three fish is the absolute minimum that should be kept together.
Ideal Tank Mates: All non-aggressive fish with similar requirements.
These fish get along famously with clown loaches or other
non-aggressive loaches. They do require the company of their own kind
and a group of at least three is absolutely necessary - four or more is
better.
They are easily fed and accept flake, sinking pellets, thawed frozen
bloodworm, brine shrimp, frozen fish dinner etc. Worms are a particular
favourite, but should not be fed exclusively.
Nocturnal by nature they are generally only seen when the tank is dark,
therefore it is best kept in a well furnished tank with lots of hiding
places. Remember seeing all those clowns pile out of their tiny car at
the circus? Well… large numbers of kuhli’s can be seen sharing a single
cave, and it’s the same astonishment when a large number of kuhli’s
start poking their heads out of the cave entrance during feeding times.
Alone, in pairs or small numbers they are generally shy and rarely
seen. If kept in larger groups (possibly 6+) Kuhli’s become much more
active, swimming in and around, over and under driftwood rocks and
plants. Searching for tidbits and other leftovers especially in places
where other fish just can’t get to and they get into awkward places
with relative ease.
At dusk and dawn you will sometimes see them doing figure eights at the
front of the tank, very fast. When disturbed, their laid-back manner
disappears in an instant and they become frantic tearaways, dashing
around the aquarium at a surprising speed. And if you think their speed
is astonishing, just try catching them as not only do they have speed
on their side but they can do u-turn’s & changes of direction in
the blink of an eye and are also expert escape artists from nets. One
thing is certain, your neatly setup tank will look like a tornado has
gone through it by the time you’ve finished catching them.
They are utterly peaceful and are not threatening to any fish. They are
also completely defenseless against aggressive fish, so choose
tank-mates accordingly.
There are more than two dozen species of Kuhli loaches.
Kuhli Loach