Loaches
Social bottom-dwellers that need numbers, soft substrate and more caves than fish. Most are long-lived, several are sensitive to standard-dose ich medication, and the trade names cover more species than the labels admit.
23 species, separated by adult size. Part of the freshwater fish catalogue.
Nano — under 4 cm (1)
Small enough for tanks under 60 cm, and usually needing larger groups than their size suggests.
Small — 4 to 8 cm (4)
The core of most community tanks.
Medium — 8 to 15 cm (10)
Needs real swimming length. Frequently sold as juveniles into tanks that will not suit the adult.
- Black kuhli loachPangio oblonga9 cmUndemandinggroup of 6+
- Black-lined loachAmbastaia nigrolineata11 cmModerategroup of 5+
- Burmese loachBotia histrionica13 cmModerategroup of 5+
- Giant kuhli loachPangio myersi12 cmUndemandinggroup of 6+
- Hillstream butterfly loachBeaufortia kweichowensis8 cmSpecialistgroup of 3+
- Javan kuhli loachPangio semicincta10 cmUndemandinggroup of 6+
- Kuhli loachPangio kuhlii10 cmModerategroup of 6+
- Polka dot loachBotia kubotai13 cmModerategroup of 5+
- Skunk loachYasuhikotakia morleti10 cmModerategroup of 5+
- Zebra loachBotia striata9 cmModerategroup of 5+
Large — 15 cm and above (8)
Specialist tanks. Check the adult size and the lifespan before buying.
- Chinese algae eaterGyrinocheilus aymonieri28 cmModerate
- Clown loachChromobotia macracanthus30 cmSpecialistgroup of 5+
- Horseface loachAcantopsis dialuzona20 cmModerategroup of 3+
- Queen loachBotia dario15 cmModerategroup of 5+
- Redtail botiaYasuhikotakia modesta25 cmModerategroup of 5+
- Tiger loachSyncrossus hymenophysa21 cmDemandinggroup of 5+
- Weather loachMisgurnus anguillicaudatus28 cmModerategroup of 3+
- Yoyo loachBotia almorhae15 cmModerategroup of 5+