Related Articles: A New Look At Loaches By Neale Monks, Dojos/Weatherfish, Minnow Fishes,

Loaches, Family Cobitidae, Real Clowns and Characters

Bob Fenner

Botia lohachata in captivity

Genus Botia:

Botia helodes (Sauvage 1876). Tiger Botia Asia: Mekong, Chao Phraya and Meklong basins; also from the northern Malay Peninsula. 30 cm./ 12 inches in length. Lives on muddy bottoms, nocturnal. Aquarium pic. http://fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=26856&genusname=Syncrossus&speciesname=helodes

Botia lohachata Chaudhuri 1912, the Reticulate Loach (Lohachata in the pet trade). Found in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Nepal. To four and a half inches in length. Preferred conditions: pH 5-8, dH 5-12, temp. 24-30C. A single and group of juveniles and a four inch individual in aquariums. Note the changeable markings/pattern. http://fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID =12253&genusname=Botia&speciesname=lohachata

Bigger PIX: The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Botia kubotai Kottelat 2004. Asia: Myanmar/Burma. To 8.5 cm. in length. A juvenile Botia kubotai, I'm fairly certain. See here: http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-kubotai -SCF And one photographed at the Interzoo 2004 trade show. http://fishbase.org/Summary/species
Summary.php?ID=61508&genusname=
Botia&speciesname=kubotai

Chromobotia (Botia) macracanthus (Bleeker 1862), the Clown Loach. Asia: all Clowns are wild-caught in rivers of Borneo and Sumatra, Indonesia. To one foot in length. Preferred conditions: pH 5-8, dH 5-12, temp. 25-30C. A couple of three inch clowns together and a ten incher at Capitol Aquarium in Sacramento that they've had since the sixties! http://fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=10897&genusname=Chromobotia&species name=macracanthus

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Botia modesta Bleeker 1865, the Orange-finned Loach (though fins may be yellow to red). Asia: Mekong and Mae Khlong Basins. To ten inches in length, and at times a bully and a terror when large. Night feeder in the wild, on worms, crustaceans and insects it finds in the mud. Preferred range of conditions: pH 6.0-8.0, dH 5-12, temp. 26-30C. http://fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=10907&genusname=
Yasuhikotakia&speciesname=modesta

Botia sidthmunki (Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki) (Kottelat, 2004). Dwarf (Chain) Loach. To 2.5 inches in length.
An excellent choice for peaceful community tanks... Lives in shoals of a few specimens. Slightly acidic, tropical water.

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/yasuhikotakia-sidthimunki

Botia striata Narayan Rao, 1920, the Striped Loach. To about 3 inches total length. pH 6-8, dH 5-12, temp. 23-26 C. Asia: Western Ghats and Maharashtra in India. http://fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID= 12255&genusname=Botia&speciesname=striata

Misgurnus anguillicaudatus (Cantor 1842), the Dojo or (Oriental) Weatherfish. Northeastern to Central China. To ten inches in length. http://fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=3016&genusname=Misgurnus&speciesname =anguillicaudatus

Pangio (formerly Acanthophthalmus) kuhlii (Valenciennes 1846), the Kuhli/Coolie Loach. Asia: parts of Indonesia and the Malay Archipelago. To almost six inches in length. A perennial favorite in the pet-fish interest. Often lost to harsh water conditions: prefers acid, pH 5.5-6.5 and soft, 5 dH, tropical, 24-30 C. water. Occasionally live, meaty foods appreciated. Aquarium image.

Bibliography/Further Reading:

http://www.loaches.com (Species Index)

Anon. 1972. All about Loaches. Aquarium Digest Intl. 1(2)72.

Axelrod, Herbert R. and Warren E. Burgess. 1982. Loaches of the World. TFH 4/82.

Boruchowitz, David E. 2000. Clowning around. TFH 9/00.

Cid, Jose Maria and Carlos Tentor. 1997. Methods of reproduction and development of larvae in Acanthophthalmus semicinctus. FAMA 8/97

Davies, Jean. 1978. The Clown Loach reconsidered. FAMA 3/78.

Dawes, John. 1999. The Loaches. Fish with that special "something". AFM 8/99.

Howe, Jeffrey C. 1995 Original descriptions: Protocobitis typhlops. FAMA 8/95.

Howe, Jeffrey C. 1996 Original descriptions: Botia longidorsalis. FAMA 6/96.

Howe, Jeffrey C. 1998 Original descriptions: Cobitis stephidisi. FAMA 8/98.

Howe, Jeffrey C. 1999 Original descriptions: Cobitis arachthosensis. FAMA 3/99.

Keppler, Dean. 1996. Discovering Botia Loaches. TFH 12/96.

Kochetov, Alexandr and Sergej. 1985. Breeding Acanthophthalmus myersi. FAMA 9/85.

Lewis, Peter. 1992. All about the Botias. Loaches loaches and yes, more loaches. AFM 11/92.

Lewis, Linda. 1999. Loaches. Kept in groups, loaches are very entertaining fish. AFM 3/99.

McDonnell, Bob. 1984. The "lowly" Loaches. TFH 9/84.

Newman, Brian. 1978. Likeable Loaches. FAMA 5/78.

Nowak, Lerner. 1973. The Clown Loach spawned! Aquarium Digest Intl. 2(2)73.

Ophir, Michael. 2000. The Botias. More loaches than you ever knew. AFM 9/2000.

Ophir, Michael. 2001. No more confusion: Physical characteristics between Botia rostrata, Botia histrionica, and Botia loahachata. FAMA 1/01.

Ott. G. Undated. Loaches- nature's "vacuum cleaners"! Aquarium Digest Intl. #37.

Ott, Gerhard H.F. 1988. Loaches and their relatives. FAMA 5/88.

Paysan, Klaus. Undated. The habitat of Botias. Aquarium Digest Intl. #30.

Sheremetyev, Igor. 1999. Botia... and looks great. TFH 3/99.

Underwood, Geoffrey. 1997. The Kuhli Loach. Description, maintenance and breeding. FAMA 7/97.

Walker, Braz. 1969. Tiger with a switch blade (Botia hymenophysa). The Aquarium 12/69.

Walker, Braz. 1981. The Orange-finned Loach, Botia modesta. TFH 9/81.

Watson, Craig A. 1991. Fish under the volcanoes. Pt. 1: Clown Loaches. FAMA 9/91

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