Loaches Online Forum

I was told by someone at a large locally owned aquarium store in the (Dallas, TX area) that kuhli loaches are "not on any availabilty lists" at this time.

The tank is not quite ready for these critters yet, so I have not pressed the issue, but I have looked for them at most of the local shops, as well as the Usual Suspect chains (Petco, Petsmart, Petland) and nobody has them.

Is this fish just out of fashion in my retail market, or is there some ecological reason that the species is in short supply?

I love those little guys, and I've been looking forward to keeping a crew of them when the conditions in my tank have matured enough for them to be happy.

Should I be thinking of alternatives?

They do seem to be seasonal. Keep the tank set up and ready, and when they are available go for it!

I feel better now. I was starting to worry that there was some kind of problem with the species.

My LFS always seems to have 2 or 3 species on hand. Petco here usually has black khulis(pangio oblonga). Doesn't help you much in Texas though, sorry. You could look at Franks and ship them if you can't wait. Good luck!

I'm holding out for Pangio Kuhlii, but I haven't even seen the black ones. Plenty of loaches, but no kuhlis.

I thought this was pretty strange, because when I kept fish years ago, they were among the most common "non-beginner" fish in stores.

I'm glad to know they're still going strong (just not here right now!)

I guess it depends on who their supplier/s is/are. I am fortunate enough to have access to a quite a large number of suppliers myself, and several Pangio species are usually available pretty much year round. However, for some reason, the stripy ones such as P. kuhlii, P. semicincta, and P. myersi do seem much more sensitive to the shipping process, and these days many shops avoid ordering those in, instead sticking with P. oblonga and P. anguillaris which seem to fare much better.

Emma