Clown Loach
Common Names: Clown Loach, Tiger Botia
Scientific Name: Botia macracantha
Family: Cobitidae
Maximum Size: 12 - 16 inches
Life expectancy: 15 years
Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 86°F
pH Range: 6.0 - 7.5
Water hardness: dH 5.0 - 15.0
Temperament: Peaceful
Origin: Indonesia
Aquarium Setup:
The Clown Loach loves lots of caves, holes and any other place that it can hide. The substrate should be fine textured as Loach’s poke around in the substrate with the barbels looking for food.
You don’t have to include a lot of plants, but some are needed to provide hiding places. Clown Loaches don’t like bright lights so keep the tank dimly lit or provide floating plants for cover.
Diet:
Several smaller meals fed throughout the day are the best suited for a Loach. While young ones will eat about any prepared food that you give them, older ones are generally a little more picky.
Their diet should include meaty supplements like any form of small worms, brine shrimp and mosquito larvae. They may also eat vegetable tablets or flakes and can even be fed lightly boiled vegetables. But, they thrive on live foods.
Tank Mates/Community:
The Clown Loach is a very peaceful fish that will get along with almost any tank mate. It’s a perfect addition to any community tank, as long as there aren’t any over aggressive fish that will harm them.
They are happiest when there’s several others of their species in the tank so that they can live in groups. But, they will also swim in schools with other fish of the same size and age.
They can be housed with Mollies, Rainbowfish, Barbs, Gouramis, Danios and Mollies as well as other peaceful fish. Cichlids of the same size are also recommended.
Behavior:
These Clown’s have definitely earned their name with their interesting and sometimes startling behavior! They will sleep in very strange places and positions, sometimes on their sides or even upside down!
They also have a dance that the whole group of them often perform. They will tumble over each other in a vertical, rotating group and will continue their performance for quite awhile! Often, when they are introduced into a strange tank they will do this dance off and on for a few days.
Color:
The Clown Loach is a beautiful fish with bright red fins and three vertical black stripes across their backs down to their bellies. Their bodies are a bright orange and the black and red colors on their fins may change with the environment.
Their colors will be even more vibrant when the fish is kept happy and healthy! Botia Loach’s resemble a long, flat version of a Tiger Barb! Both the coloring and the markings are very similar!
Breeding:
Very little information has been documented about the Clown Loach’s breeding habits. It is thought that no one has yet to breed them successfully in an aquarium. Even at breeding farms, spawning is hormone induced!
Interesting Notes:
This species is very prone to ick and should be watched carefully when any new fish or plants are added to the aquarium. The main problem with Loach’s becoming infected with ick is that they’re sensitive to most ick medications.
The best way to treat them for the infection is to use half of the recommended dosage. Make sure that you read the products label before treatments for the right amount needed.
Clown Loaches will often come to a complete stop on logs, rocks or the tank bottom. It will appear as if they’re dead, but they’re only resting for awhile!
While most species of Loaches are mainly active during the night, the Clown Loach will be more active through the day. They are perfect for any hobbyist that wants to enjoy their aquarium all day long!
