Clown Loach

The Clown Loach originally came from Indonesia. It is distinguished by broad black vertical bands on its flesh colored scaleless body and by red in its fins. The Clown Loach is a bottom dweller and likes to hide in the day, so adjust the aquarium decor accordingly. Make sure the aquarium is covered too, as this bottom dweller is also a jumper. It will eat a large variety of foods including any snail larvae in the tank and many of the plants. If you have plants you are particularly proud of, keep them away from this fellow. The Clown Loach can also be fed vegetable flakes, shrimp pellets and live or freeze-dried worms and brine shrimp. It grows quite large and therefore needs an aquarium of at least 30 gallons. Clown Loaches do better with 2 - 4 in a tank. They seem to get ich easily, so keep the Quick Cure handy.

Clown Loaches will often stay in caves for days if they are stressed. When they are comfortable, they will swim in groups and then rest lying over top of each other, on their sides or even upside down. This can create the mistaken impression that they are no longer alive

Scientific Name: Botia macracanthus
Family: Loach
Temperature: 25 - 30 C; 77 - 86 F
pH 5 - 8
Size: 6 - 12 inches
Life Span: 10 - 15 years
Breeding: Difficult, Egg Layer