How big will a kuhli loach get?

Kuhli loaches are a freshwater fish, notable for its eel like shape and distinctive orange and brown or pink and yellow stripes, .  These nocturnal creatures are a delight to watch and are considered one of the quirkier aquarium fish.  The good news for newbies is that these fish are pretty easy to take care of – even for absolute beginners – as long as you follow a few ground rules and, we’ll cover some of these in this article.

How big will a kuhli loach get?

These small but perfectly formed fish can grow to five inches in the wild, however, aquarium kept loaches will usually only reach around three inches in length.  Although the kuhli loach is a sociable fellow, he does like his space so, for a 20 gallon tank, a group of six or less is usually best in order to keep your fish healthy. 

Looking after your loach

As we’ve mentioned, these fish are really easy to take care of.  As they have a low bioload (ie, they don’t produce much waste), keeping the tank and water clean isn’t a huge chore.  You will, however, want to fit out your tank with some dense vegetation and driftwood to make sure that your kuhli loaches have places to hide during the daytime. 

Kuhli loaches are not picky eaters and will eat a wide variety of foods including frozen bloodworms, live blackworms, community pellets and repashy gel.  Kuhli loach do enjoy having a rummage for their food so sinking foods, coupled with a smooth substrate in the tank will keep them happy. 

Conclusion

The quirky kuhli loach is a really good choice for those just starting out on their aquarium journey as they are sociable, peaceful and undemanding. These fish won’t generally grow larger than three inches within your tank and are an absolute delight to watch.  As long as you keep the tank relatively clean, provide plenty of food and furnish your tank with hiding places, you and your kuhli loaches should get along just fine!  All you really need to do is keep an eye on them to ensure that they’re moving about normally and are eating properly.