- Interesting physique
- For community tank
- Suitable for beginners
- Crepuscular animals
Spotted kuhli loach - Pangio kuhlii
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- Item no: 7138
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from over 3,000 reviews "| Water values: | soft to medium hard |
| Diet: | omnivorous - omnivorous |
| Temperature: | 25-30 °C |
| with fish?: | Yes, with peaceful fish |
| Fish group: | Loaches |
| Pelvic region: | Below |
| Aquarium size: | 54 l (approx. 60cm) |
| Difficulty: | 2 - Normal |
| with shrimps?: | with dwarf shrimp, offspring may be eaten |
| Visual effect: | Especially colorful |
| Origin: | Asia |
| Planting possible?: | Yes |
| with snails/shells?: | Yes |
| Feature: | dynamic group behavior |
| Behavior: | Normal |
| with large crabs?: | No |
| Breeding: | heavy |
| with dwarf crabs?: | No |
| Final size: | 8-12 cm |
| with crabs?: | No |
With their peculiar appearance and behavior, spotted thorneyes look almost like small snakes and for this reason alone enjoy great popularity in aquaristics. Their scientific species name Pangio kuhlii is derived from the German zoologist Heinrich Kuhl. Due to their peacefulness as well as their adaptable behavior they are easy to keep even by beginners.
Originally spiny loaches come from weedy, partly fast flowing waters in Asia from Sumatra, Borneo, Java to India and Bangladesh, where they also migrate during spawning time. With only 10 cm they do not become exactly large. Their elongated tubular body has a yellow to pinkish base coloration surrounded by dark horizontal stripes. The belly and underside are pale. There are three pairs of barbels on the mouth, which they use for communication, among other things. On their head, similar to their relatives, the loaches, there is a small spine, to which they owe their name. In the aquarium they live rather hidden and withdrawn in shady areas and dense plants or caves and become activeonly towards dusk.
Externally, they are difficult to distinguish into sexes, most likely from the age of about 24 months, because then they are fully grown. The males become much more colorful than the females, which in turn become rounder and plumper and have round pectoral fins, those of the males are sickle-shaped. Also, the second fin ray is thickened in males, but this is hard to see with the naked eye.
The breeding of spiny loaches has already been successful, but these are rather exceptions and coincidences than a deliberate reproduction. In this case the spiny loaches had moved around the aquarium glass for days, but also around each other and disappeared at some point in the filter to spawn, but also left it again. After some days the hatched young animals were flushed out of the filter. Based on this behavior, it can be assumed that spiny loaches also migrate up rivers to spawn in the wild. In the case of the accidental breedings, the water values were in the acidic range. Their eggs are green. In addition, it is believed that they intentionally squeeze into narrow crevices to squeeze the eggs out of their belly pouches to lay their eggs.
The aquarium of spiny loaches should have fine substrate in the form of sand , because they rummage through it for food and spit it out again. They do not like direct or bright lighting, so the aquarium should be shaded accordingly, or have many shady corners where they can retreat. Hiding places and caves are gladly accepted, into which they squeeze, sometimes with several. In general, spiny loaches are not only very difficult to catch, but also so agile and narrow that they fit into almost any crack. The aquarium should therefore be very well covered, every cable run and every opening to the outside should be closed, a filter should be sealed with foam so that they are not sucked in.
Spiny loaches are on the one hand very curious, but on the other hand also easily frightened. So it can be that they jump along the panes upwards and easily also jump out of the aquarium. Care should also be taken not to accidentally suck them in during water changes.
Although they are more tolerant of water parameters, they prefer rather soft water with a total hardness between 6-10, a pH of 6.5-7, and a temperature between 24-27°C. With the latter, they are sensitive to excessively high temperatures.
Spiny Dogfish can be socialized with almost any fish that is not out to get them. Since they are rather reserved comrades with very small snouts, eating at most very small live food (including very tiny fish larvae) up to mosquito larvae size, shrimps and snails live rather unmolested, only the shrimp offspring might stagnate a bit. As bottom dwellers, a socialization with dwarf crayfish is rather not recommended, although one could assume that the spiny loaches are agile and fast enough to be really seriously hurt by them. Spiny loaches scurry around and around each other in the aquarium from the beginning of dusk and also like to lie together in caves or on the substrate. Therefore, they should definitely be kept in groups of 5 or more!
Spiny loaches should rather be fed in the evening. Although they also eat dead plant material and also parts from the mulm, they can be fed with commercial dry food like granules, flakes, tablets and also live and frozen food like mosquito larvae, cyclops, daphnia, artemia. They appreciate a varied diet.
Our food recommendation: The NatureHolic Catfishfeed for all aufwuchs feeding sucking catfish in the aquarium is a balanced tablet food, which does not cloud the water and the fish like to eat. The catfish tablets also contain NatureHolic active ingredient complexes that provide sucking catfish with everything they need for a strong immune system, healthy growth and great, contrasting coloration. As a snack, supplemental food or vacation food, we recommend the CatfishPlates.
Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.
Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.
| Scientific name: | Pangio (Acanthophthalmus) kuhlii |
| German name: | Dornauge, Spotted Dornauge |
| Difficulty level: | for beginners |
| Origin/Distribution: | Asia |
| Coloration: | yellow base color on tubular body with dark cross bands |
| Age expectancy | 4-6 |
| Water parameters: | GH 6-10, KH 2-8, pH 6.5-7, temperature 24-27°C |
| Tank size: | from 54 l |
| Food | Omnivorous, likes to take additional frozen food or live food like mosquito larvae, artemia and daphnia |
| Breeding | difficult/not breedable |
| Behavior | peaceful |
| Group size | at least 6 animals |
| Further information | Ten typical aquarium fish for beginners and alternatives to them, Tips for acclimating fish to the aquarium, Feeding aquarium fish properly - cheap food and what it can do |
- Item no: 7138
- EAN No.: 7427061487343
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