The Best (And Worst) Kuhli Loach Tank Mates to Consider

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Kuhli loaches are very popular fish that people enjoy keeping in community tanks. You might be looking to add some to your fish tank sometime soon.

They can certainly be fantastic additions to most community aquariums, but you do need to pick appropriate tank mates. As with all fish, you need to research compatibility before putting together a community tank, or else things will go wrong.

Luckily, there are many great fish that make perfect tank mates for kuhli loaches. Below, you’ll learn more about your options.

Are Kuhli Loaches Community Fish?

You’ll find that kuhli loaches are great fish to add to a community tank. They’re sort of strange-looking fish that add a unique aesthetic to the tank.

Since these fish are very peaceful, they’re perfect for community aquariums. They’re known to be a bit shy in fish tanks, so you might not see them as often as you’d like.

Kuhli loaches become more confident when you keep them in groups. It’s recommended to keep at least three of these fish in the community tank.

It’s said that they do even better when you keep six to twelve of them. However, keeping just three will be fine if you don’t want to add too many kuhli loaches.

Can Kuhli Loaches Live with Betta?

Bettas are good options when looking for kuhli loach tank mates. The two fish are known to get along fine, and they have similar enough water parameter requirements.

This is great news because many people love keeping bettas in community tanks. They’re such pretty fish that can be very aesthetically pleasing in community aquariums.

You won’t have a hard time if you choose to keep these two types of fish in the same tank. Simply make sure to meet the needs of both fish and use a fish tank that is big enough.

Can They Live with Shrimp?

It’s not a good idea to keep kuhli loaches in the same tank as most types of shrimp. Like most omnivorous or carnivorous fish, kuhli loaches will eat anything that will fit in their mouths.

Many types of shrimp are small enough for kuhli loaches to eat. It’s common for people to feed kuhli loaches brine shrimp as well as other types of shrimp.

In a community tank, most shrimp wouldn’t be safe from the kuhli loaches. Kuhli loaches are peaceful fish, but they do go after food because it’s instinctual to do so.

There are plenty of other options when looking for tank mates for kuhli loaches. Most shrimp will simply wind up as food for the loaches if you put them in the tank.

That being said, there are some shrimp that people have successfully kept with kuhli loaches. The best example is the red cherry shrimp.

Are Angelfish an Option?

Angelfish are another type of pretty fish that you might be interested in. You’ll be glad to hear that they can live with kuhli loaches in community tanks.

Kuhli loaches are some of the best tank mates for angelfish. Angelfish can bother some other common community fish, but kuhli loaches are great at putting up with them.

You’ll enjoy how gorgeous the angelfish look in the tank. The kuhli loaches will remain near the bottom of the tank minding their own business.

It’s common for these two fish to be kept together in community aquariums. You’ll definitely have a good experience if you choose to buy both types of fish.

What About Corydoras?

Corydoras catfish (or cory catfish) are some of the most popular bottom-feeding catfish on the market. These are great fish to buy because they’re peaceful, and they are a lot of fun to observe.

Since they occupy the bottom of the tank, you might be worried about whether they will get along with the kuhli loaches. Luckily, these two types of fish get along just fine.

The corydoras and the kuhli loaches will pretty much leave each other alone. So long as the fish tank isn’t cramped, you’re not going to run into trouble.

Both corydoras and kuhli loaches are incredibly peaceful fish. They won’t have any issues getting along in the tank.

Do They Get Along with Goldfish?

Goldfish will also be fine choices for fish tanks that contain kuhli loaches. The non-aggressive nature of the kuhli loaches makes them great tank mates for goldfish.

However, it’s notable that the temperature requirements cut it pretty close. So you need to be very careful to keep the water parameters in the sweet spot to keep both types of fish healthy.

Also, you must remember to have enough kuhli loaches in the tank. Goldfish can be kept by themselves, but kuhli loaches need to be kept in groups of three or more.

Make sure the tank is large enough as well. You don’t want to try to cram kuhli loaches into tanks that are too small.

Can They Live with Otocinclus?

It’s fine to keep these fish in community tanks with otos. Otocinclus catfish are peaceful, and they aren’t too big overall.

You can easily have a good time keeping these fish with your kuhli loaches. Many people choose to buy dwarf otos for community tanks with kuhli loaches.

Otos are nice to have in the tank since they’re known to eat algae. They help a lot with keeping community tanks clean.

What About Rasboras?

Rasboras are very peaceful, and it makes sense that they would do well in a community tank with kuhli loaches. These fish need to be kept in groups, and the group sizes depend on the specific type of rasbora that you choose.

Simply make sure that you buy enough rasboras for the tank, and they will be happy. The rasboras will leave the kuhli loaches alone, and they will look nice in your tank.

It’s always a good experience when you’re caring for rasboras. They are highly recommended fish that work well in community aquariums.

Are Gouramis Okay?

Gouramis are another good option to look into. It’s fine to put gouramis in a community tank with kuhli loaches.

This works out well because the fish occupy different parts of the aquarium. You won’t even see the gouramis and the kuhli loaches interact in the tank.

There are many eye-catching gouramis that you can choose to put in the tank. They’re good fish that are easy to care for overall.

Will Kuhli Loaches Eat Snails?

Yes, kuhli loaches can eat small snails. There are times when you might choose to feed your kuhli loaches very small snails.

The snails need to be small enough for the loaches to flip over and eat. Otherwise, they won’t bother to touch them.

Kuhli loaches aren’t huge snail-eaters, though. So you can’t count on them to eat snails to reduce the population in a community tank.

Snails also won’t make good regular food for these fish. It’s not that common to feed snails to kuhli loaches, even if they will eat tiny snails.

It’d be better to give them bloodworms or brine shrimp as a source of protein. It’s simply much more convenient to do so.

Can They live with Guppies?

Guppies are great community fish that are good for beginners. These don’t require a lot of extra work, and they look beautiful in the tank.

They get along swimmingly with kuhli loaches, too. So these fish will be fine additions to the community aquarium.

Will Kuhli Loaches Eat Guppy Fry?

Yes, guppy fry will be eaten by the kuhli loaches. If you plan to breed guppies, it’d be better to do so in a breeding tank.

A guppy fry is small and will be gobbled up by kuhli loaches. They might also be eaten by other fish that you choose to put in the community aquarium.

Can Kuhli Loaches Live with Tetras?

Tetras are fish that can be chosen to live with kuhli loaches in community tanks. These fish are so nice because they’re colorful and peaceful.

The only downside to choosing tetras is that they’re a bit sensitive. It can be tougher to care for these fish than it is for the other fish that have been mentioned so far.

So you must be ready to care for high-maintenance fish if you choose to go with tetras in the community tank. Regardless, it’s worth noting that many people love these fish, and they get along fine with kuhli loaches.

Can They Live with Mollies?

Mollies are another popular type of fish that you might be interested in. Common mollies can work out nicely as tank mates for kuhli loaches.

These are good fish to put in the tank due to the fact that they’re hardy. It’s easy to care for mollies, and they’re good tank mates for the loaches.

If you’d prefer to stick with fish that are good for beginners, you’ll love owning mollies. Much like kuhli loaches, they’re not hard to care for in any way.

Do They Get Along with Discus Fish?

Discus fish are neat fish that you can add to the aquarium. Many people are drawn to them because of how interesting they are to look at.

They get along okay with kuhli loaches as long as the tank is set up the right way. You want the tank to be big enough, and you need to keep at least four or five discus fish in the same tank.

It’s also worth noting that they don’t do well in tanks that contain too many different species. So it’d be okay to keep them with kuhli loaches and maybe one or two other types of fish as long as the tank is large enough.

What About Danios?

Danios fish are another fantastic choice when looking for tank mates for kuhli loaches. These fish are active, and they’ll be a joy to watch swimming around in the aquarium.

You should have a positive experience buying these fish for the tank. They’re common fish that can be found at most aquarium stores, and they’re not all that tough to care for.

What Eats Kuhli Loaches?

Don’t put the kuhli loaches in fish tanks with large predatory fish. Any carnivorous or omnivorous fish that is large enough to eat the kuhli loach will do so.

Fish will make meals of other fish if they can fit them in their mouths. So you can expect the kuhli loaches to be eaten by fish that are very large.

Kuhli loaches grow to be between three and four inches long in a fish tank. So it would take a pretty big fish to be able to eat them.

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