Eel loach

Pangio anguillaris

An exceptionally slender loach with fine grey-gold pigment.

An unusually long, thin body can show fine dark speckles and a faint lateral stripe on grey to muted gold, with a paler underside. It is not always bright silver. Some adult males develop thicker, longer pectoral rays and a modest forehead prominence.

Adult length: About 5 cm (standard length, without the tail fin)
Water temperature: 22–29 °C
pH: 6–7.5
Hardness: 0–8 dGH

Natural habitat: Inhabits shallow slow stream reaches, swamps, oxbows and backwaters, hiding in soft mud, sand or silt among leaves and roots.

Keep at 22–29°C, pH 6.0–7.5 and GH 0–8dGH. Reaches 120mm SL.

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Appearance and identification

Much more slender than P. oblonga, with grey-gold speckling or a lateral line of pigment instead of a deeper plain-brown body. Close relatives differ in nasal-barbel, cheek-scale and vertebral characters. Eel or silver kuhli trade names alone do not identify it.

Floor and movement space

At least 60×30cm or equivalent, with a group, soft sand, cover and feeding access.

Aquarium environment

A shaded planted layout with gentle flow and soft sand gives cover. Roots and leaf litter should leave accessible feeding spots. Protect small fish from filter intakes, secure escape gaps and maintain surface gas exchange.

Diet and feeding

Target small sinking meals to the bottom and vary them with small live or frozen animal foods, checking individual feeding. Scavenging does not remove the need to feed these loaches.