HomeFreshwater aquarium fishOddballs & predatorsEel Loach Eel Loach (Pangio anguillaris) Scientific name: Pangio anguillaris Vaillant, 1902 The Eel Loach (Pangio anguillaris) is a freshwater fish of the family Cobitidae that grows to about 190.5 cm (75 in). It is easy to keep and peaceful, suits community aquariums and needs a tank of at least 75 L (20 US gal), water at 24–26°C (75–79°F) and a pH of 5.0–6.0. Native range: Asia:, Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo. Eel Loach care at a glanceCare levelEasyTemperamentPeacefulCommunity tankGoodAdult size190.5 cm (75 in)Minimum tank75 L (20 US gal)Temperature24–26°C (75–79°F)pH5.0–6.0Hardness5–12 dGH (89–214 ppm)DietCarnivore. Accepts flakes, frozen foods and live foods. BiologyVertebrae: 69 - 71. Body depth 14-18 times in SL; no nasal barbel; plain brown or finely spotted body; a faint dark stripe along the side from the gill opening to the caudal fin. Head 12-13 times in total length.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific namePangio anguillarisFamilyCobitidae (Loaches)OrderCypriniformes (Carps)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length12.0Common length5.0EnvironmentFreshwater;; pH range: 5.0 - 6.0; dH range: 5 - 12 demersalClimateTropicalDistributionAsia: Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra and Borneo.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmlessUsesAquarium: commercialResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More oddballs & predatorsApteronotus leptorhynchusGlass knifefishEigenmannia virescensBlack ghostApteronotus albifronsAfrican bonytongueHeterotis niloticusAmazon leaffishMonocirrhus polyacanthusGangetic leaffishNandus nandusSee all oddballs & predators Can it live with...?Eel Loach and African bonytongueEel Loach and Amazon leaffishEel Loach and Black ghostEel Loach and Black sharkminnowEel Loach and Blackbarred limiaEel Loach and Bleeding-heart tetraEel Loach and Bloodfin tetraEel Loach and Bluespotted corydorasEel Loach and Brilliant rasboraEel Loach and Butterfly splitfinEel Loach and Chinese suckerEel Loach and Clown barbEel Loach and Clown loachEel Loach and Clown rasboraEel Loach and Crescent bettaEel Loach and Dwarf botiaEel Loach and Dwarf rainbowfishEel Loach and Elephantnose fishEel Loach and Forktail rainbowfishEel Loach and Freshwater butterflyfishEel Loach and Gangetic leaffishEel Loach and Garnet tetraEel Loach and Glass catfishEel Loach and Glass knifefishEel Loach and Glowlight tetraEel Loach and Goldeneye cichlidEel Loach and Head-and-taillight tetraEel Loach and Horseface loachEel Loach and Indian glassy fishEel Loach and Indonesian snakehead SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Aquarium care parameters compiled, checked and converted to metric and imperial units by Guppies.za.net.Last updated 28 September 2026