Khuli Loach

Khuli loaches are very interesting fish. They are 'wormlike', but they seem to endear themselves to all fishkeepers. Khuli loaches are long but very slender, and their body reassemble earthworms in both size and shape. However, they are very attractively colored and the look really nice. They are also known as coolie loaches, for reasons unknown to me. I call them khuli loaches because I am used to that, but it is proper and accepted to call the either khuli or coolie.

Khuli loaches are what most people think of as a "typical" loach: long and thin. However, most loaches are not like that. That's what makes khuli loaches so unique. I consider them very cute, and they are one of my favorite fish. Most people complain that they do not see their khulis often, but I have a piece of wood put close to the front glass, and that's the living quarters of my khulis, even though there are plenty of other hiding places. You have to remember that they are very shy and nocternal, and take that into concideration if you deside to buy them.

Due to the fact that these amazing animals are nocternal, they need a hiding spot during the day. I use a log next to the glass, andd it's their primary hom. It lets them be happy, and it lets me see them as well. They also sometimes go to the clumps of plants near the back of the tank. I used to use a big spiral shell until I had a swordtail get stuck there and die. So it's up to you on what you want to use, but remember that they need a hiding spot to be comfortable. Even if they are not visible while in the hiding spot, they will come out and show off much more often if they feel comfortable

Don't underestimate the speed of a khuli loach. Even though they look slow, they can move very fast, and since they are very slim, it's hard to net them out. They also seem to be fast on land, which I found out when one khuli slithered out of the net onto the carpet. It took quite a bit of effort to catch him, he was gliding like a snake, and was doing it very fast.

Scientific name	Acanthophthalmus kuhlii
Common name(s)	Khuli loach, coolie loach
Lenth	About three inches
Attitute	Very peaceful and shy
Diet	Pretty much anything; they are scavengers
Swimming level	Bottom area of the tank
Tankmates	Rather peaceful fish of the similar or smaller size
Ease of keeping	Easy
Special preferences	Need a dark hiding spot
Ratings(up to 5 moors)

Back to the FISH homepage

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page