All fish / Cobitidae

Pangio alcoides

Pangio alcoides

Also known as kuhli loach, slim kuhli loach, dwarf kuhli loach, pangio loach

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A small, very slender eel-like loach with a plain brownish body that lacks the bold bands of the common kuhli loach. It comes from soft, acidic blackwater habitats and is kept by people who enjoy unusual, shy bottom dwellers in planted or blackwater tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

4.5 to 7

Smallest tank

40 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Omnivore: small sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp and micro worms

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Malaysia (Peninsular) and Indonesia (Sumatra, Borneo); Southeast Asian peat swamps

Breeding

Not reliably bred in home aquariums. Related Pangio species scatter eggs among plants or roots, and occasional unplanned spawning happens in mature, densely planted tanks.

Good to know

Seldom sold under its own name and often mixed into batches of other plain Pangio species, so identification is uncertain. It needs a soft sand substrate and a tightly covered tank, as it can squeeze through tiny gaps.