Kuhli Loach

About

Pangio sp. pan03 is one of those genuinely unresolved fish that turns up in the hobby before taxonomy has had a chance to catch up. This undescribed species appears to originate from the Barito River basin in South Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo, though its exact native range hasn't been formally confirmed. It belongs to the kuhlii-oblonga species group within the genus Pangio. The elongate, eel-shaped loaches that hobbyists often lump together as kuhli or coolie loaches. It has been traded under the name P. alternans in the past, which is a misidentification, and no breeding observations have been recorded in captivity. Despite what the temperament data suggests, Pangio as a group are generally peaceful community fish that pose no real threat to tankmates beyond the occasional egg or fry. They're social by nature, naturally forming large aggregations in the wild, and in the aquarium you'll often find a whole group crammed into the same cave or hollow during rest periods. Keeping at least five or six together brings out their best behavior. They pair well with small, calm species from similar Southeast Asian habitats. One practical note for all Pangio. They carry sharp sub-ocular spines that can snag in nets, so use a container rather than a net when moving them.