Khuli Loach Alternative

[saltynay]

I have a 6 uk gallon tank and was thinking of getting khulis but they need a minimum of 10 gallons say most websites.... So is there a way to identify the subspecies that grow to 3" and not the larger types? Would they then be acceptable to keep in a smaller tank? Any other eel like fish which would be more suitable?

I wish to keep them in a species only tank with 4 of them and lots of stem plants and sand substrate with some floating plants. The trick though is that the water will be cycling between my current tank and the new one, so there will be way more biological filtration then any one tank could provide, as the water will flow from one tank to the other and back again. Even though it will be a species only tank to start with, I am thinking of making a fish highway between the two as having a normal tank is just to boring for me which will connect it to a tank with guppies in.

 

[jourdy288]

Myers loaches?

 

[bagu]

you might be okay with 6 gallons

check out youngfishers topics

 

[saltynay]

So far I have found these three which look like possibles:
http/www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-cuneovirgata
http/www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-malayana
http/www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-alternans

I am going to look into myers now

 

[youngfisher]

You would be ok with 1-2 khuli loachs.

 

[3ndl3r]

Khuli loaches are highly gregarious fish, they should be kept in groups of 8+

If kept in small groups, they will stay in hiding and you will see very little of them, they don't feel safe in small groups.

What are the dimensions of this tank??

 

[WhiteDevil]

I got 3 kuhlis in a 55 now, had 3 in a 26g and a 10g before, they need atleast 6 to be out often. however I am up very early in the morning and not so much during daylight hours where I cant enjoy them in the daytime. Kuhli loaches be it banded or black are only 3" fish in most cases no matter what tank size, rare occasion a few owners have been able to get them to 5" but its very rare.

 

[keenonfish]

I like horsefaced loaches myself but great care should be taken NOT to get the longfaced which are often sold as horsefaced.

Great thing is they are best kept singly I believe.

 

[saltynay]

Khuli loaches are highly gregarious fish, they should be kept in groups of 8+

If kept in small groups, they will stay in hiding and you will see very little of them, they don't feel safe in small groups.

What are the dimensions of this tank??

I haven't got it in front of me but approx 16"x 12" x 8" (LxWx planned water depth). I have read that they can be shy and that a minimum of 3 is advised hence why I want to go slightly above that number but I am in turn restricted by tank size.

White devil as far as I can tell all pangio fish are given the common name khulie/coolie and range in max sizes from 2-5" its more likely that the larger species are rarer rather then the max aquarium size being regulated by environment.

Keenonfish horse face loaches need a minimum of 30+ gallons.