This may prove to be a valuable feeding mechanism while training them onto prepared frozen foods. The hillstream loaches will pick at the algae. Aquarium decor should consist of polished river rock and pebbles-preferably with algae growing on them. Clean water that is well oxygenated and cool (70☏) is appreciated. Avoid individuals that have light, unpigmented blotching. These bona fide hillstream fish can be touchy when kept in captivity. Maximum Size: 2 to 4 inches, depending on the species Gastromyzon, Balitora, Beaufortia, Hemimyzon, and PseudogastromyzonSpecies Once healthy and acclimated, these chunky fish will entertain endlessly as they lie on their sides or cozy up against a rock to wait for their next meal. Remember to employ treatment using 50-percent of the recommended dosage with twice the duration. Ich is a persistent problem with this species, and many of the stressed specimens offered for sale will quickly be overwhelmed by this parasite unless they are placed in a comfortable environment and treated with appropriate ich medication at the first sign of the disease. They should only be placed into well-aged aquariums with good water quality. These fish are sensitive to pollutants and medications.

Anything under 125 gallons would be considered too small to accommodate several large clown loaches. Although not extremely fast-growing, well-fed individuals may put on a couple of inches per year and will outgrow most moderate-size aquariums. This is a massive, jumbo-size fish, which puts out a lot of waste and demands clean, oxygenated, warm water.

They do have a few drawbacks that the hobbyist must take into account before purchasing some of these orange and black beauties. One look at the striking and colorful patterning on the clown loach and it is no wonder why this fish has become the most popular of all the loaches for the home aquarium. Once in a while a large clown loach may get a little possessive about its food, but other than a few minor squabbles these fish are usually model tankmates. macracanthus possess all of the desirable personality traits of loaches, such as being highly social, playful, and comical without being aggressive or overly territorial. The flagship of its clan, the beloved clown loach is a perennial favorite and a mainstay in the aquarium hobby. They have proven to be durable captive subjects and it is hoped that aquarists will have some luck propagating this fish. rostrata and histrionica.Įmperors make energetic, dashing show fish that are not overly aggressive with other species, but actively chase each other around the aquarium. The other botias cohabitating with emperors are extremely stocky, with patterns similar to B. My close friend Soe Nyunt Tun of Yangon, Myanmar has collected the emperor botia alongside several other unidentified botias in the Tenasserim River near the town of Myitta. Despite their steep price, the answer was an emphatic “yes!” Imagine my surprise when vendor Frank Greco informed me that he had several pieces coming in that weekend! He asked, needlessly, if I had any interest in purchasing them. It is said that these botias can only be taken out by an old drug smuggling route hampered by drug dealers, civil unrest, and remoteness. Loaches Online (reports that the yellow and chocolate emperor hails from the remote Tenasserim River in Myanmar (Burma), where access is impeded by military protection. Known as the “holy grail” of loaches, this dazzlingly yellow species was once considered unobtainable, and it dwelled, a wish unfulfilled, on every loach enthusiast’s most-wanted list. This Indian species appreciates a fine sand substrate, and is very active, while still being milder and never playing as rough as some of the more outgoing botias do. The thin gray/green lines on their flanks vary in width, and the body coloration can be dusky pink, light orange, or yellowish. This is a completely innocuous little loach that should be considered for any community of peaceful fish. Included is an aggression scale of 1 to 5 for each loach species, with “1” being inoffensive and gentle, and “5” being highly antagonistic. What follows is a continuation of part one’s “gallery of species,” a random sampling of loach species that I have either personally kept or have collected in nature. There are many different species of these fun-filled fishes, and all of them have different features, temperaments, maximum sizes, and other characteristics. In part one of this article I highlighted the delightful clowns of the water world known as loaches. In part 2 of his series, the intrepid explorer/collector continues his overview of the sociable and energetic jesters of the freshwater aquarium hobby. Loaches: Riverine Acrobats of the Orient, Part 2

Zebra loach