Care
Kuhli Loaches are social creatures and must be maintained in good sized groups "“ five would be considered the absolute minimum number. It is very important that the aquarium is well matured and has a sandy substrate in order to protect the delicate sensory barbel area of these inquisitive bottom-dwelling fish. Kuhli Loaches will very much appreciate areas of dense planting, where they can congregate and literally "˜hang around"™ together. In the wild, these fish live amongst the leaf litter of their native waterways, and many aquarists find that keeping - and regularly replacing - dried Indian Almond Leaves (Terminalia catappa) on the bottom of their aquarium provides these fish with natural hiding places and conditions. If housing smaller specimens, be sure to protect them from any filter or powerhead intakes as they do like to try and squeeze into tiny nooks and crevices. Kuhli Loaches are a peaceful species and do well in quieter tanks with tankmates of a similar disposition. It must be mentioned that there are many, many different striped Kuhli Loach species living in south east Asia, a fair number of which are exported in the aquatics trade, and often misidentified. The vast majority have similar needs to those described here.
Feeding
Sinking catfish pellets and small sized frozen foods such as mosquito larvae, brineshrimp, and daphnia. Smaller specimens will appreciate baby brineshrimp and cyclops. Will also nibble on any flake that makes it to the bottom of the aquarium.
Breeding
There are reports of "˜unplanned"™ breedings of some Kuhli Loach species in captivity, although these are few and far between. Most of these are said to have occurred in densely planted aquariums with no predatory fish present, or else in older aquariums running with undergravel filters, where the fish have dug underneath the plates. Well cared for females regularly fill with eggs, but the actual spawning, for a large part, still remains a bit of a mystery.
