Breeding Kuhli Loach (Pangio Kuhlii) In The Aquarium

Location

This fish lives in shallow, clear, slow-moving, mountain waters. These are creeks, streams, canals, peatlands in Indonesia, Borneo, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Sumatra.

Body description

Body of the fish is elongated and cylindrical. Colour of the body is yellow with light beige under-side. There are transverse, irregular, brown bars along the body. This pattern is different for each subspecies. The most popular subspecies are Pangio kuhlii sumatranus and Pangio kuhlii myersi. This fish has 3 pairs of barbels on the chin and defensive spines under eyes. It has clear fins and dorsal and caudal fins with dark border. You can recognize sex of the fish when it is sexually mature - when it is around 2 years old - female is thicker in ventral parts and you can clearly see green eggs in her oviducts.

Temperament and behaviour

This is peaceful, friendly and shoal fish. It usually swims, hunts and feeds at night. These fish hides in the substrate or hiding-places during day or in bright light. They may be kept with peaceful species: other species of the family Cobitidae, Characidae, danios, corydoras, rasboras etc. You should avoid aggressive, territorial and large fish. Pangio Kuhlii is hard and long-lived species. It is recommended for the beginner aquarists.

Aquarium decoration

This species prefers long tanks. Aquarium should include soft and fine substrate (sand or gravel), a lot of hiding-places among plants, rocks, roots, caves, shells of coconut, pots, dimmed light (you can use floating plants or pieces of wood). A filtration system should be protected by sponge or net. Fish often gets trapped in the filter and can’t get out. Tank should be covered – these fish may jump out of the aquarium. This species can be only kept in chemically stable water.

Breeding

This is an oviparous fish. Breeding this species is not an easy task. Breeding should be done in a separate tank. Aquarium should include low water level, dimmed light, floating plants (e.g. pistia, lemna), soft water, pH=6.5, 26°C temperature. They spawn in the group. You should feed them with plenty of live food. Courtships are very vehement before spawning. Fish whirl in "loving" ecstasy. Female lays light green, sticky eggs among roots of floating plants or on leaves. The eggs hatch after one day and offspring immediately start feeding.