Kuhli loach

Pangio kuhlii

The kuhli loach is a slender striped loach of Southeast Asian waters. At night it threads through leaves and sand while searching for fine foods.

Key facts

Kuhli loach (Pangio kuhlii) is an omnivore animal classified as Fish · Cypriniformes · Cobitidae.
Primary habitats are freshwater · forest, with a range across Indomalayan.
Activity is nocturnal, sociality is loose group, and conservation status is LC (Least Concern).
The kuhli loach is a slender striped loach of Southeast Asian waters.
It lives in forest streams, swamps, and leaf-rich freshwater of the Indomalayan region.
Typical lifespan: 8–12 years

Habitat range map

Native rangeOccasional / Transient

Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)

It lives in forest streams, swamps, and leaf-rich freshwater of the Indomalayan region. Soft bottoms, roots, and litter provide shelter.

Length 7-12 cm; weight 3 g-10 g. The eel-like body is yellowish with dark bands. Small barbels around the mouth help probe the bottom for food.

Nocturnal, it hides under sand, leaves, or roots by day. Loose groups may share the same shelter.

An omnivore, it eats small invertebrates, detritus, and sunken organic matter. It sifts and sucks fine food from the bottom.

Spawning is associated with changing water levels such as rainy periods. Eggs are scattered near plants or the bottom, without parental care.

It is listed as Least Concern, though local populations can still be affected by habitat change, collection, or pollution.