Common name:Coolie/Khuli loach

Scientific name:Pangio kuhlii

Family:Cobitidae

Origin:Borneo, Java, Thailand, Malaysia.

Maximum Size:4-5"

Care:A hardy Loach that likes to bury in a fine, soft substrate. Provide plenty of hiding places as they like to stay hidden until evening/night time. Another peaceful Loach that will suit any peaceful community.

Feeding - Will accept most commercail foods but be sure to provide a varied diet including frozen foods and live if possible.

Sexing and Breeding - Coolies have and can be breed in the home aquaria.

Comments - Khuli loaches are very interesting fish. They are 'wormlike', and they seem to impose themselves on alot of keepers. However, they are very attractively colored and marked and make a great and intresting addition to a tank.

What i believe is my female khuli loach due to the broadness of the body.



They are very shy and timid so include plenty of shelter with low caves and low plants for their enjoyment. Here's part of my khuli setup(with some cories sharing the bliss ):

This post has been edited by Lateral Line: Nov 26 2005, 09:28 AM

Some of my khulis. Note the markings, I think I've got a subspecies, but anyway, the markings vary a lot.


This post has been edited by Lateral Line: Nov 26 2005, 09:27 AM

For your collection. Our Myers khuli below is "hypomelanistic"/"amelanistic", not a true albino, which would have red eyes.



This post has been edited by Lateral Line: Jun 6 2006, 02:10 PM

Just to add some more info.

Max size will vary because, obviously, of all the different species (loaches.com has a fairly good list) sold under that name, but I'd say 4-5" is a bit much. My four or so fully grown kuhlis are only just a tad over 3", but about as thick as a pencil.

Contrary to some beliefs, they very rarely bury themselves, but use sand in much the same way as cories- rooting around for food. But, as I think for cories, sand is needed rather than a benefit.

A lot of people seem to want to keep just one kuhli or a group of three. I don't think this is very good. While they're not 'social' as such, they do need to be in as big a group as possible, for reasons I'm not entirely sure on, but the bigger the group, the more active and 'happier' they seem to be. 6+ is a good number, and anyway, its not as if they're a strain on the bioload.

This post has been edited by Lateral Line: May 30 2006, 03:10 PM