Clown Loach

Looks how to spot one

Tall-backed, laterally compressed botiid loach

A robust loach with an arched back and a flat belly, a big head and a downturned mouth with thick lips and four pairs of barbels. A small movable spine sits under each eye. Its scales are very small, giving the skin a smooth look. Adult females tend to be plumper and larger than males of the same age.13

Personality what they are like

Sociable and full of character. Clown loaches build complex pecking orders within their group, click audibly when excited, and are famous for resting in odd poses, sometimes lying flat on their side. They are not aggressive as a rule, but their size and energy can unsettle small or slow fish.13

Daily activity how busy a day looks

An active bottom and midwater fish that becomes bolder with time, often rising up the water column at feeding time. Groups play, chase and squabble lightly throughout the day, and a moderate current with resting spots suits them.13

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Plan for a very large tank from the start, since juveniles bought at a few centimetres grow into big fish over the years. Use smooth sand or rounded gravel to protect the barbels, give plenty of caves and wood, use soft lighting, and keep the water clean and stable with good filtration and regular partial water changes.13

Home where they are happiest

Tropical, soft to moderately hard water. Seriously Fish advises a base of at least 180 x 60 cm (about 650 litres) for adults; Wikipedia gives about 450 litres as a minimum. Temperature about 24 to 30 °C, pH about 5.0 to 8.0 (most guides suggest 6.0 to 7.2), hardness roughly 1 to 12 dGH. A riverlike layout with sand, rocks, roots and shaded areas works well.123

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Mainly carnivorous. In the wild they eat worms, crustaceans, insects, snails and some plant matter. In the aquarium offer sinking pellets and wafers, frozen or live bloodworm and brine shrimp, plus vegetables such as cucumber, courgette or blanched spinach. They happily eat small snails.123

Company who they like around

Must live in a group: at least 5 or 6, and ideally 10 or more. Kept alone they can become withdrawn. Good companions are peaceful, fairly active cyprinids such as barbs and rasboras of a suitable size, and other botiid loaches. Avoid slow, long-finned fish.12

The story where it all began

Dutch ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker described the clown loach in 1852 from Indonesian specimens. It has been a favourite of tropical fishkeepers worldwide for decades, and its long history in the trade has encouraged work on farm breeding. In 2004 Maurice Kottelat moved it into its own genus, Chromobotia.3

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Least Concern (assessed November 2019)2

Taxonomy

Family Botiidae. First described by Pieter Bleeker in 1852 as Cobitis macracanthus, later placed in Botia, and given its own genus Chromobotia by Maurice Kottelat in 2004 when he split the old Botia group into several genera.3