Best Tank Setup For Kuhli Loaches

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Once you know what kind of tank environment your Kuhli Loaches will thrive in it’s easy to create a home they will love. And the good news is that it isn’t complicated to do.

The best tank setup for Kuhli Loaches is one with slow to moderate flow, low lighting and plenty of hiding places. Because Kuhli Loaches are a tropical fish the water needs to be warm, clean and oxygenated. A fine substrate is a must too for this interesting scavenging fish.

Whether you’re setting up a Kuhli Loach only tank, or adding them to an existing community tank, you can keep things easy-care while keeping your Kuhli Loaches happy and healthy.

The rest of this article is about how to set up a freshwater tank that your Kuhli Loaches will love and, of course, one that you will enjoy keeping.

So whether you already keep Kuhli Loaches, or you’re planning to, I’ve filled this article with lots of information and tips that will help you to create a Kuhli Loach friendly environment.

Tip: Decide how many Kuhli Loaches you want to keep before buying a tank. If you buy the tank first the size of the tank will dictate how many you can keep. If you’re adding Kuhli Loaches to an existing community tank you need to take the tank size into account before you buy them.

Choosing A Tank For Your Kuhli Loaches

There are 3 main points to consider before you buy a tank for your Kuhli Loaches.

Kuhli Loaches can grow to between 3-4 inches long (7.62-10.16 cm)

Kuhli Loaches prefer to live in groups of at least 3-6 (the more the merrier)
Despite being mainly bottom dwellers Kuhli Loaches do need room to swim around the tank

Although the Kuhli loach is a slender fish that spends a lot of time at the bottom of the tank it’s also an active fish, particularly after lights out. This means that you need to provide them with enough room, and company of their own kind, if you want them to thrive.

So choosing the biggest tank that your available space, and your budget, will allow is the best idea.

So What Size Tank Do Kuhli Loach Need?

The size of tank you will need for your Kuhli Loaches will depend on a few things. When choosing a tank it’s best to take the points below into consideration before buying.

The number or Kuhli Loaches you want to keep

The size of Kuhli Loaches when they are full grown
Spare litres/gallons if you’re fortunate enough to have any Kuhli Loach fry
Whether your Kuhli Loaches will be sharing tank with other bottom dwelling fish/ shrimp and/or snails

Any other fish you would like to add to the tank even if they are mid to top swimmers

My advice is to make a plan taking all of the points above into account. Then speak to your local Pet Store or Aquatic Dealer for some guidance on a suitable tank that will comfortably accommodate all of your planned tank inhabitants. If you’re adding Kuhli Loaches to an existing community tank you need to take your present inhabitants into account too before adding Kuhli Loaches.

Tip: A general guide to how many Kuhli Loaches you can keep in a tank is to allow 3-5 gallons (approximately 13.63 – 22.73 Litres UK/11.34 – 18.9 Litres US) of water for each one. So keeping 6 Kuhli Loaches in a 20 gallon tank, for example, is the maximum for a tank of that size.

Basically, don’t overcrowd the bottom of your aquarium. Give everyone enough room. It’s always better to understock than overstock an aquarium.

What’s The Best Tank Layout For Kuhli Loaches?

Although the Kuhli Loach is considered an easy-care fish they will do better in a tank that provides at least the basic things that will make them feel at home. In fact the closer you make things to their native environment means you will stand a better chance of seeing them more often.

A Good Tank Layout For Kuhli Loaches Generally Includes:

Substrate – such as sand or a sand and fine gravel mix. Fine substrates reduce the risk of your Kuhli Loaches damaging their barbels (thick facial ‘whiskers’) as they sift through the substrate looking for food. (Link takes you to Amazon)

Smooth Rock/Pebble Piles Creating Caves – you can also buy artificial/fake cave structures or, if you’re creative, you can make your own out of PVC piping etc.

Wood/Twigs – wood with natural crevices and ‘bridges’ plus piles of twigs, make great hiding places for the Kuhli Loach. Particularly if you attach epiphyte plants such as Java Moss to them to create more cover.

Planted Areas – densely planted areas create places for Kuhli Loaches to hide in.

Kuhli Loaches also like some leaf debris to provide shelter and places to rest under. A widely available leaf that’s suitable, and beneficial, for aquariums is the Catappa leaf but you could use Oak Leaves too if you prefer.

You can position the stuff in the tank to get the effect you like best. But if you include the things on the list above you’ll be creating something that your Kuhli Loaches should feel more at home in.

Plants Create Secluded Areas For Kuhli Loaches

Do Kuhli Loaches Need A Planted Tank?

Kuhli Loaches benefit from having a planted aquarium. Densely planted areas provide places to rest and hide in. Floating plants in particular are good in a Kuhli Loach tank. And plants in general are a great help if you want to encourage your Kuhli Loaches to breed. Plants also help to keep the tank clean by using up excess nutrients that naturally occur in aquarium water.

I know that not every fish keeper wants to keep live plants. So the good news is that you can use artificial/fake plants (like these ones found on Amazon) in a Kuhli Loach tank.

While you won’t get the filtering benefits from artificial/fake plants that you would from live ones, you will still end up with an attractive aquarium that will provide your Kuhli Loaches with what they need.

Maybe you haven’t decided yet whether to go for live or artificial/fake plants in your Kuhli Loach tank? Or maybe you’re unsure of which live plants to go for?

I’ve got a few suggestions for easy-care live plants that should be helpful.

7 Easy-Care Plants For A Kuhli Loach Tank

Red Root Floaters (floating fern plants with red roots)
Duckweed (fast growing green floating plant that needs to be kept in check)

Java Fern (can be attached or planted)
Anubias Nana Petite (needs to be planted)
Hornwort (can be planted, attached or left to float)

Java Moss (epiphyte plant that needs to be attached to rocks/tank decorations etc)
Guppy Grass (planted carpeting plant)

There are lots of other easy-care plants that you can use in a Kuhli Loach tank such as Dwarf Hairgrass, Bacopa Plants and Water Lettuce, but the list above should give you a good starting point.

Even if you start off with artificial/fake plants there may come a time when you want to experiment with live ones. And it’s worth bearing in mind that there’s nothing wrong with having a combination of the two. Whatever works for you and your fish is just fine.

Tip: Although Kuhli Loaches are not considered to be destructive to aquarium plants they can sometimes uproot them as they sift through the substrate in search of food. If you find that your plants get uprooted try planting them in pots inside the tank. Or replace them with epiphyte plants that can be attached to rocks, wood and twigs etc.

Do Kuhli Loaches Need A Filter?

Kuhli Loaches need a filter in their tank. Although the Kuhli Loach sometimes lives in tannin rich waters the water still needs to be clean and oxygenated. So in an aquarium setting the easiest way to achieve this is by installing a filter. Tank filters also provide water flow and oxygenation which are important for a healthy Kuhli Loach environment.

You also need to keep on top of weekly water changes and monthly tank maintenance to keep the water free from a build up of toxins. But that goes for any other fish, shrimp or snails in the fish keeping hobby anyway. It’s just something that we routinely do as aquarium keepers.

Which Type Of Filter Is Best For A Kuhli Tank?

Kuhli Loaches do like a bit of flow. But that doesn’t mean that you need to have a fast flowing filter. A moderate flow is good enough to keep your Kuhli Loaches happy. In fact a continual fast flow can be tiring and may not be suitable for your Kuhli Loaches or their tankmates.

Here Are Some Filter Options For Your Kuhli Loach Tank

Sponge Filter – A sponge filter is one of the most basic filters available. It’s run by an external air pump and air tubing. It’s cheap, easy to clean and efficient. I have to admit that it’s my favourite tank filter when it comes to basic mechanical filtration and oxygenation in an aquarium. And if you buy an adjustable air pump it’s easy to change the flow/filtration to suit your fish.

HOB (hang-on-the-back filter) – Just as it sounds this type of filter hangs on the back of the tank. The box part hangs outside of the tank and the intake tube is in the water. The box part can be filled with filter media of different kinds which you can change to suit the need of your fish. The filtered water is returned to the tank via a lip/spout creating a waterfall effect.

Internal Box Filter – This type of filter hangs or ‘suckers’ onto the inside of your tank, often with the water return part sitting above the water. But the way the water is returned will depend on which type of box filter you buy. Internal Box Filters can come with replaceable filter cartridges or a simple sponge insert. They are often included as part of a tank starter kit although they can also be bought as a separate item.

External Filter – An external filtering system sits outside of the tank. It pumps the water out of the aquarium into a filtering unit. Then pumps the water in again once it’s been cleaned. It does this on a regular cycle. However, unless you have a seriously large tank, or multiple tanks running off the same filtration system, you’re unlikely to go for this option.

Tip: Kuhli Loaches love to hide in filter intake tubes/inlets. So if the intakes on your filter are big enough for even a baby Kuhli Loach to get into you need to cover the intake. Using filter sponge, or soft mesh, depending on the style of your filter, will help to reduce the risk of loosing any of your Kuhli Loaches.

Do Kuhli Loaches Need A Tank Light?

Kuhli Loaches don’t need, or like, a brightly lit tank. They prefer more moderate lighting. This makes sense as the Kuhli Loach is, for the most part, a nocturnal fish. However, if you need a brighter light to keep live plants and tankmates happy, you can create shaded areas in the aquarium to accommodate your Kuhli Loaches.

How to Subdue Tank Lighting/Create Darker Areas For Your Kuhli Loaches

Floating Plants – floating plants help to create a barrier that diffuses the light and softens/ reduces it before it reaches the aquarium.

Use Electrical Tape – placing strips of black/dark electrical tape over segments of the tank bulb/bar cuts down the amount of light that reaches the tank.

Plants – densely planted areas create shaded spots that your Kuhli Loaches will enjoy.

Caves – create caves to give your Kuhli Loaches places to retreat to. It doesn’t matter if the caves are made from rocks/pebbles, are shop bought, or homemade, they all create dimly lit places.

Even though the Kuhli Loach doesn’t like bright lights that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t light your tank. After all, an unlit tank isn’t very appealing. And if your Kuhli Loaches are in a community tank you need to find a happy medium to keep everyone happy.

Do Kuhli Loaches Need A Heater?

Having a heater in a Kuhli Loach tank is recommended. The ideal temperature range for Kuhli Loches is between approximately 22-29 Degrees Celsius ( 78-84 Fahrenheit). So unless your Kuhli Loach tank is in a room that is constantly heated, and the tank water stays within the temperature range, you will need a tank heater to keep the water temperature constant.

Of course if you live in a climate that’s warm all year round you may not need a heater. But even then you may have ‘cold spells’ that are unusual for your country. Which means that having a tank thermometer and a heater to hand is a good idea.

I guess the easiest solution is to install a tank heater which will only switch itself on when it’s needed.

What Kind Of Water Is Best For Kuhli Loaches?

The Kuhli Loach prefers softer water that is a little acidic. However, they will thrive in other types of water as long as it’s clean, oxygenated, and has at least minimum flow. As with most other aquarium fish the tank water needs to be free from a build up of toxins. This can be achieved by efficient filtration, regular water changes, and regular tank maintenance.

Tip: When setting up a Kuhli Loach tank, and on all water changes, the water should be dechlorinated using a reputable water treatment product. These products not only eliminate Chlorine and Chloramines they also get rid of any heavy metals that might harm your fish.

Two Tap Water Conditioners that are popular with fish keepers and can be found on Amazon are Prime by Seachem and API Tap Water Conditioner but there are other tap water treatments and conditioners available too.

Tankmates For Kuhli Loaches

If you want to build up a community tank that includes Kuhli Loaches you need to make sure that they only share the aquarium with other non-aggressive fish, shrimp and/or snails. Small peaceful fish make ideal tankmates alongside peaceful shrimp and snails.

You can of course keep Kuhli Loaches in a species only tank. But because these loaches are mainly nocturnal bottom dwellers, fish keepers often keep Kuhli Loaches in a community tank setup.

Here’s Some Of The Fish/Shrimp/Snails That Make Good Tankmates For Kuhli Loaches

Tetra – Small Tetras such as the Neon or Cardinal Tetra or other small non-aggressive Tetra
Danio – Small varieties such as the Celestial Pearl Danio
Platies And Mollies – Both are non-aggressive small fish

Dwarf Gourami – Non-aggressive Gourami such as the Sparkling Gourami
Dwarf/Pygmy Corydoras – Such as Bronze or Panda Corydoras Catfish
Snails (eg Nerite, Ramshorn, Rabbit and Mystery Snails)

Shrimp (eg Amano and Cherry Shrimp of all colours)

Small friendly Rasboras, Guppies and Endlers also make great tank mates for your Kuhli Loaches. Plus there are a lot more fish, shrimp and snails that will live quite happily with your Kuhli Loaches. So it’s worth asking about suitable tankmates at your local Pet Store or Aquatic dealer.

Can I Add Kuhli Loaches To An Established Community Aquarium?

You can add Kuhli Loaches to your established aquarium as long as you take a few things into consideration. Firstly the tank inhabitants need to be non-aggressive and not big enough to eat/bother your Kuhli Loaches. Secondly the tank setup needs to be one that Kuhli Loaches will thrive in and include plenty of hiding places. And Thirdly the general water parameters and temperature need to be suitable for keeping Kuhli Loaches as well as their tankmates.

Kuhli Loaches are often added to established aquariums. You just need to make sure that the conditions in your tank are suitable for them to settle into and thrive.

The Takeaway

I realise that in this article I’ve given you lots of information about the Best Tank Setup For Kuhli Loaches. So I thought it was a good idea to create a short list of the main points that I’ve covered.

Here’s The Takeaway

Decide how many Kuhli Loaches you want to keep before buying a tank

If you’re adding Kuhli Loaches to an established tank make sure their tankmates are friendly
Soft slightly acidic water is preferred but clean, filtered and oxygenated water is acceptable
Cover filter intakes to help avoid losing your Kuhli Loaches

Use rock/pebble piles or shop bought/homemade caves, and plants, to create hiding places
Keep the tank lighting subdued or make sure there are darker areas in the tank
Keep the water temperature between approximately 22-29 Degrees Celsius (78-84 Fahrenheit)