All fish / Cobitidae

Half-banded Kuhli Loach

Pangio semicincta

Also known as kuhli loach, coolie loach, half banded loach, semicincta kuhli, malayan kuhli loach, khuli loach, coolie loach semicincta, クーリーローチ, 半带蛇仔鱼, 蛇仔鱼

A slender, worm-like loach with a pinkish-orange to yellow body crossed by dark saddles that usually stop partway down the flanks, leaving the belly plain. It is kept as a peaceful, secretive scavenger for soft-water community tanks and is often sold mixed with Pangio kuhlii.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

8 cm

Temperature

24 to 30 °C

pH

5 to 7

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Omnivore: sinking pellets, bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp and other small live or frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 years or more

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo

Breeding

It scatters bright green eggs among fine plants or roots, and spawning in groups has been reported only now and then in home aquaria. Most fish in the trade are farm-bred with hormones or caught in the wild.

Good to know

Use soft sand and plenty of cover, and fit a tight lid with covered filter intakes because these loaches squeeze into small gaps. The trade often mislabels it as P. kuhlii or P. myersi.