Blue Botia Loach

Botia-Blue Loach is a heavily-built loach that should be kept in a group of their own species. Like Clown Loaches, they have a social structure and an “Alpha” loach will eventually lead the group. These fish are highly territorial and a lot of in-fighting will be seen. During these interactions and at feeding times, this species may be very vocal with its clicking noises. Because of their territorial habits, provide numerous hiding places so that less dominant fish may escape the attentions of more boisterous individuals.

Because of their size and temperament, this Loach should only be kept with other boisterous loach species, or large, fast moving, free-swimming fish such as large Barb species.

Body and fin coloration can be very variable in this species, probably due to the wide distribution in nature. Fins can be red, orange or yellow and body colour varies greatly, but is generally a blue-grey in colour, sometimes with a noticeable green sheen in certain lighting.

Juvenile blue botias are active schooling fish. As they grow older, they spend more time hiding in caves or under rocks in solitude. Like many loaches, blue botias are a nocturnal species that comes out at night to dig through gravel and substrate for food. They are omnivorous, but prefer a meat-intensive diet of krill, bloodworms, Daphnia, earthworms and live insects. Like clown loaches (Chromobotia macracanthus), they sometimes make a loud clicking noise.

The Blue Botia Loach is a bottom-dweller that originates from the streams throughout Asia. It is a semi-aggressive fish that enjoys the company of its own species, or other semi-aggressive fish. It will school with others of the same age and size. This Loach appreciates caves, holes, and other places to hide, especially when it sleeps. They are also a natural predator of snails, and will aid in their control in the aquarium.

The Blue Botia Loach requires small amounts of food several times a day. Feed them a varied diet of bloodworms, brine shrimp and a quality flake or pellet food.

For long-term maintenance an aquarium with base measurements of 150 ∗ 45 cm or equivalent should be the smallest considered.

It is advised to find a filter which has a water flow between 4-5 times the volume of your aquarium.