Clown Loaches are absolutely my favourite fish in all the freshwater hobby. Seeing a group swimming together is still an amazing sight to see. Scarily enough, in Indonesia and Borneo these fish are considered a food item, although I could never bring myself to eating one.
These fish start small but please forward plan as they can get very large – in their natural habitat over a foot long!
The orange and black stripes of these fish are among the most recognisable and as a result has made it a staple in the majority of community tanks.
Synonyms | Botia macracanthus, Botia macracantha |
Distribution | Borneo and Sumatra, Indonesia. Also Malaysia and Brunei. |
Sexual Dimorphism | It is thought that mature adult males are slimmer with a larger, more deeply forked tail. |
Maximum Size | 30cm+ (12”+) |
Water Parameters | Soft and acidic water is best long-term. pH: <7.5, dh: <8 degrees. Clean well-aerated water is essential. |
Temperature | 26-30 deg C (79-86 deg F) |
Compatibility | Specialist Community |
Special Requirements | XXL tank and powerful filtration required. |
Lighting | Low |
Environment
A very peaceful fish, they can be kept with the majority of non-aggresive fish. They do prefer to be in a school of their own kind however and at least 4 is always recommended, although the more the better.
Clown loaches arent fans of bright light so plenty of spaces to hide is highly recommended, at least 2 or 3 spots for each fish – caves, tubes and any other places they can hide.
Unlike other loach species that are completely nocturnal, it isnt out of the ordinary to see Clown Loaches out during the day, however, if you want to be certain to capture a glimpse of them its best in the early morning or after dark
Water quality, as with all other fish, should be as clean and healthy as possible as Clown Loaches areprone to being stressed easily, they are also very prone to Ich so keep a close eye n them if you add more fish / plants etc to your aquarium. Additionaly, they are sensitive to medication so pay additional attention if medication is needed.
What’s for lunch?
Clown Loaches will accept a variety of both dry and live foods, they do prefer live – namely bloodworms and similar.
Breeding
It is extremely rare for Clown Loaches to breed in captivity, even on occasions the females lay eggs they are generally unfertilised and eaten.