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May 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Botia Loaches?
My LFS has two or three different Loaches for sale, all with 'Botia' is the name. I can't remember exactly what they're called but I was wondering how big they tend to get? The ones at the store are stripy, and about 2 inches long. One of them might have been Zebra Botia? I know nothing about Loaches except for Clowns! | 
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May 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Addict
| Loaches Online is a great site to learn about different loaches. Identifying them isn't TOO hard, but the catch there is that sometimes juveniles look different from adults. I'd have a look there and see if you can make an ID. If you want to buy some, to be safe, I might print out a few "maybe"s and bring them to the LFS and check. | 
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May 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick Goody  My LFS has two or three different Loaches for sale, all with 'Botia' is the name. I can't remember exactly what they're called but I was wondering how big they tend to get? The ones at the store are stripy, and about 2 inches long. One of them might have been Zebra Botia? I know nothing about Loaches except for Clowns! | 'Botia' is a genus comprised of several species, so it will be hard to say how large the species you saw might get without knowing specifically what they were.
For the one you do recall, zebra loaches tend to get up to about 4", according to their loaches.com profile. | |
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May 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Botia loaches tend to have more pointy noses and make excellent snail eaters.
The stripey ones were probably Botia striata http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-striata
Here's a few to look at  some of their scientific names have been changed to Yasuhikotakia whatever. The sharp nose gives it away that it used to be called Botia .... http://www.loaches.com/
Carol | |
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May 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Thanks guys. Botia Striata was one of them! Would they be ok with Angels, Platys, BN Plecs, Corys etc? The tank is 39gal. | |
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May 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Yes the Striata should be fine. Just remember you need at least three of them
Carol | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| I think I might get some. I'll go to the LFS tommorrow and write the names down and check here first to be sure I'm not buying something unsuitable | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick Goody I think I might get some. I'll go to the LFS tommorrow and write the names down and check here first to be sure I'm not buying something unsuitable | Thats cool As I love loaches and my tanks are full I'll just help you shop 
Carol | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| I was hoping you would My knowledge of Loaches is absymal! | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| You will love Loaches, they are the puppies of the fish world. They dance for food, they dance for attention, they dance.... because their loaches LOL
Carol
Since common names can be confusing at times. When you shop see if they have their scientific name as well as the common name on their labels.
Last edited by Butterfly; May 18th, 2009 at 07:02 AM.
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Ok, the LFS has Botia Striata, Golden Botia Striata, Botia Lochi-something. They all look pretty much the same to me. The LFS only has one of each type, so if I bought all three would they be happy together? Or do they need there own species? | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| They would probably all be ok together but personally I would hold out for several specimen of the same type.
The golden striata is really Botia Histronica commonly called the golden zebra.
Botia striata is commonly called the zebra Loach
Botia Lahachata is the old name for Yoyo loaches.
all of these are great and personable loaches. get about 5 inches.
Here's some information and really cool pictures http://www.loaches.com/articles/an-i...-keeping-botia
carol | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Great Link Carol I think I'll go for a group of the Zebra Loaches, they are all horribly expensive, but thats just the way it is over here! The LFS says that they can order me some more in. I think my 39gal should be fine for them, it has very smooth gravel, low lighting and a very good current. I run two internal powderheads one at each end of the tank, to give a river-like current, flowing anti clockwise. There are also lots of caves and hiding places. Is there anything else they require? | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick Goody Great Link Carol I think I'll go for a group of the Zebra Loaches, they are all horribly expensive, but thats just the way it is over here! The LFS says that they can order me some more in. I think my 39gal should be fine for them, it has very smooth gravel, low lighting and a very good current. I run two internal powderheads one at each end of the tank, to give a river-like current, flowing anti clockwise. There are also lots of caves and hiding places. | Sounds great! I know you will enjoy them. Quote: |
Is there anything else they require?
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they love shrimp pellets and thawed frozen blood worms.
other than that all they need is somebody to watch them 
carol | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Great. I feed Shrimp Pellets and bloodworms to my fish anyway I get a lot of tiny snails in my fry tanks, from overfeeding I think, would it be worth throwing some of those into the tank for the Loaches? | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| They would probably enjoy the snails
Carol | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| Great. I like to give my fish as varied a diet as possible. I wouldn't want to eat the same thing everyday! | |
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May 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator
| This is my favorite pic of my Botia striata (ignore the dirty glass )
Thats the only time I've ever been able to get a tubifex cube to stick to the glass
Carol | |
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