Clown Loach (Botia macracanthus)

Common Name:

Clown Loach.

Scientific Name:

Botia macracanthus.

Family:

Cobitidae.

Distribution:

Sumatra and Borneo.

Size:

Up to 14" in most aquaria, although 24" in large tanks is not unheard of.

Diet:

Omniverous; will readily take both prepared and live foods. Worms are a particular favorite.

Water Temperature:

78-84 F.

Water Chemistry:

Will accept pH 6.5-8.0 Prefers Soft water with pH on or below 7.0ppm (pH Neutral).

Life Span:

20+ years. The oldest known in an aquarium is over 50 years old.

Housing:

90 gallon minimum.

Sexing:

Although Baensch stated that there were caudal fin differences between the sexes, this has been disproved. Sex differences are subtle, but females appear to be fuller bodied and more rounded than the males.

Breeding:

Although there are reports of successful breeding experiments in Asia with injected hormones, these reports are not substantiated. Clown Loaches are not known to breed in the aquarium.

Description:

The Clown Loach has an arched back and an almost straight underside, befitting a bottom dwelling fish. The general coloration is bright orange and the sides are generally marked with three wide vertical black bands. The first band runs across the eye, the second starts in front of the dorsal fin and the third covers most of the caudal peduncle. There are wide variations on this general pattern, with large spots, half-moons and "saddles" being the most common. The fins are yellowish to bright red, sometimes with black markings. Although Loaches are generally thought of a scaleless fish, they, in fact, do have small scales embedded in their skin. The mouth is downward-facing, with four pairs of barbels. There are no teeth in the jaw. Being Cyprinids, Loaches have pharyngeal teeth (grinding teeth in their throat). Like all Loaches, the Clown Loach has subocular spines which retract into slots. These are quite impressive weapons (see photo), as many Loachkeepers (myself included) have painfully discovered.


Image courtesy of loaches online

Requirements:

Clown Loaches are relatively undemanding fish and once acclimatized can thrive in a wide range of water parameters. Clown Loaches, and all Loaches, are particularly sensitive to D.O.C. (dissolved organic compounds), so regular water changes are a must. Clowns like warmer water than just about any botia, preferring temps around 80. They spend most of their time searching the bottom for food, so a soft substrate of sand or small/medium gravel is a must, as are rock caves, plants and other hiding places. Because Clown Loaches (and most other torpedo-shaped Botia) come from flowing rivers and streams, some current in the water is appreciated. Although Clown Loaches grow relatively slowly, their eventual great size should be taken into consideration.

Behaviour:

Clown Loaches, without a doubt, live up to their name, especially when kept in a group. They spend their days zipping through the tank, scuffling and clicking among themselves and doing a "Loachy dance" in a figure-eight when they get excited. In the wild they are largely nocturnal, but if provided with plenty of cover (plants, caves) and the addition of some lively upper-level 'dither fish' like Danios, Barbs or Rainbows, they will usually come to feel comfortable in your tank enough to spend a lot of time out and about.
Clowns are very social fish, and absolutely require the company of their own kind to thrive. A solitary Clown Loach is often reclusive and can even become aggressive to other fish. The addition of another Clown Loach will certainly help, but the antics of a Clown pack of four or more is some of the best fun in fishkeeping. Clowns have a definite 'pecking order' and protect it vigorously. There is always a 'boss Clown' who must defend his/her position. One fish will 'grey out' and become almost colorless, while the other fish's color deepens to almost black. They scuffle and chase each other wildly, causing all the other fish to head for cover. This is bluff. What looks like a duel to the death is actually harmless bluster. I have never had anyone come away from these battles with so much as a nipped fin. Usually they all end up together sleeping in a striped pile in their cave some of them usually on their side or on their back!
Clown Loaches are omnivorous and will eat just about anything, and lots of it! My own Clowns eat flake, carnivore pellets, sinking wafers, Spirulina, algae wafers, zucchini, yams, and live or frozen food of all kinds. Frozen blood worms are a favorite, from the minute the worms hit the water a feeding frenzy ensues, with everyone quarrelling and slurping until their bellies bulge and they must retire to their cave to sleep it off. It is during these times that you will often hear the Loaches 'click' at each other a sound like the snapping of fingers and surprisingly loud. How the Loaches make this sound is unknown, but most common aquarium botia do click. (The first time I heard my Skunk Loaches [Botia Morleti] click I thought the tank had cracked!)
Clown Loaches do not tolerate change well. Even a relatively subtle re-arrangement of the tank can cause them to hide for a while, while the stress of capture and transport to your tank can cause serious stress leading a 'hunger strike' or illness. A quiet quarantine tank with plenty of cover and some tantalizing food for a couple of weeks is the best way nurse them through this trauma and allow them to recover their strength before introducing them to the community tank.. In common with other scaleless or small-scaled fish, they are susceptible to ich and other skin parasites. When treating, be sure to check the directions on your cure of choice and follow the directions for scaleless fish.

Tank levels:

Clown Loaches will get along with any non-aggressive fish which requires the same water parameters. Any squabbling they do is usually among themselves.

Ideal Tank Mates:

All non-aggressive fish with similar requirements

Unsuitable Tankmates:

Aggressive, territorial fish.

Photo Credit:

Photos 1-4 supplied courtesy and ^©Bob Hart (Rab).
Photo 5 supplied courtesy and ^©Off-ice.