Striped Kuhli Loach 5cm

Striped Khuli Loach

Khuli loaches are one of the most unique aquarium fish available, they a commonly referred to as aquarium noodles due to their slender noodle-like body shape. They offer a very different aspect of behaviour to the aquarium often being a bottom dweller that acts like a mini eel or snake slithering through the aquascape. This snake-like look often turns aquarists away from these fish however looks aside they offer hours of fun as they swim in a hilarious incoherent manner when they decide to leave the substrate but also are a fascinating fish to watch.

The striped Khuli loach gets its name due to the obvious orange and black striping and this really pops against light sandy substrates. Khuli loaches are super peaceful and make for a fantastic community, they only get to a maximum size of 10 cm and can live for up to 14 years which makes them a fantastic smaller pet fish. Khuli loaches may be a slightly reclusive fish at times which only come out when lights dim out however once they settle in their active almost corydora like behaviour kicks in.

They are also often seen buried in the substrate with just their head poking out but this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their interesting
behaviours. Khuli loaches can be bred in the home aquarium however it is often regarded as a difficult task because they need specific environmental queues and a dedicated breeding set up for maximum success. The wild location of khuli loaches is Indonesia and parts of Malaysia.

Tank Recommendations for your Striped Khuli Loach
Khuli loaches only get to a maximum size of 10 cm and are a perfect low-profile fish for aquariums as small as 40 litres. The only thing to consider is that khuli loaches are a fish which need to be kept in groups to feel comfortable and active.

As always though a larger aquarium would be far better to allow ample space for multiple loaches and for tank mates as well. The khuli loaches also come from very calm, vegetation-dense waters in the wild, and replicating this would be the best environment for the khuli loaches. They would also prefer a soft sandy substrate due to their burrowing nature which also prefer caves and hiding places. These are also tropical fish which are best kept at 24-26 degrees.

Suitable Tank Buddies
Due to their extremely peaceful behaviour khuli loaches are great to include in community aquariums. They can be kept with a wide range of tetras, gourami, and other common smaller fish species. The only thing to note is that khuli loaches are almost exclusively a bottom-dwelling fish that might get outcompeted by other tank mates in the upper portions of the aquarium.

Usually Compatible
Neon tetras, danios, bristlenose plecos, black widow tetras, and other smaller community fish.

Sometimes Compatible
Other bottom dwelling species such as corydoras and larger growing species like angelfish and severum.

Rarely Compatible
Aggressive species which may prey on the khuli loach such as larger predator fish.

Feeding your Striped Khuli Loach
Khuli loaches are fairly easy to feed, they would need foods which can sink fast to ensure they are getting food which is not eaten by tank mates. A great sinking micro pellet would be perfect along with different live foods  such as black worms o micro worms. Khuli loaches are also a fantastic snail eater, a better word would be destroyer. They are skilled at eating snails right out of the shell and are often a great control for a booming snail population.