Clown Loach (Chromobotia macracanthus)

You should absolutely think about keeping a clown loch in your aquarium if you enjoy vibrant, active fish. This fish, which adds a lot of personality to any tank, is well-known for its vivid stripes and lively disposition. Originating from the rivers of Southeast Asia, this fascinating creature is not only a sight to behold but also fascinating to watch in action.

The Clown Loach has a distinctive and striking appearance due to its strong black and orange stripes. But it’s not all about appearances. Famous for its gregarious demeanor and vivacious antics, this fish is frequently observed darting about and engaging in conversation with its tankmates. It is a favorite among aquarists who like some action in their aquarium because of its lively nature.

The Clown Loach, though endearing, needs particular attention in order to flourish. It prefers a setup that resembles its natural habitat, with lots of swimming space and hiding places, and a large, well-maintained tank. Maintaining the proper environment and being aware of its needs will help you keep your clown loving and healthy.

Topic Clown Loach (Chromobotia macracanthus)
Common Names Clown Loach, Tiger Loach
Size Up to 12 inches (30 cm)
Origin Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia)
Tank Size Minimum 75 gallons (280 liters)
Water Conditions Temperature: 75-85°F (24-29°C), pH: 6.0-7.5
Diet Omnivorous; enjoys live, frozen, and high-quality pellet foods
Behavior Active and social; best kept in groups
Tank Mates Peaceful fish of similar size
Special Features Distinctive orange and black stripes, spiny pectoral fins

Habitat

Found in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Originating in Sumatra, Borneo, and the Greater Sunda Islands. Within the former, it is limited to the river systems within the Indonesian provinces of Kapuas and Kayan, as well as Kalimantan Barat (West Kalimantan), Kalimantan Tenggah (Central Kalimantan), and Kalimantan Timur (East Kalimantan).

It can be found in Sumatra in the Batang Hari, Musi, and Tulang Bawang rivers as well as the eastern and southern regions of Dambi, Sumatra Selatan (South Sumatra), and Lampung.

It is known that populations from these two islands differ in terms of adult size, color pattern, and genetic makeup. If a thorough investigation is carried out, it has been proposed that these populations might belong to separate species.

With the exception of the spawning season, which occurs during the rainy season from December to February, when the water level in the rivers reaches its maximum rise, they spend the majority of the year in the main tributaries of rivers. Fish migrate during this time, sometimes traveling up to 200–300 km to smaller tributaries and streams where they spawn among the reeds in the swampy upper reaches.

The majority of these rivers flow through tropical forest regions with lush vegetation, lots of shade, and barely noticeable currents. Their water is a mild tea color. There are a lot of fallen leaves, broken branches, rhizomes, etc. covering the bottom. The current speed in the rivers’ main tributaries is fairly high and rises during the rainy season.

Description

The body is colorful, elongated, and has a rounded cross section. range of hues: orange-red to yellow. There are three dark stripes across.

With a yellow base, the dorsal fin is black in color. The caudal and ventral fins are black and red, respectively. The lower mouth is surrounded by four pairs of antennae that are used to find food. The extremely thin scales penetrate the skin.

It is characterized by a sharp spike beneath each eye, which is normally folded into a sort of skin pouch and invisible. They elongate like a knife blade in stressful or frightening situations.

When fishing, exercise caution because fish frequently attempt to defend themselves with spikes and can become tangled in the net. And even a small puncture from one of these spikes can hurt a lot. In the wild, botias use these spikes to ward off attacks by birds and other predators. Ingesting them can cause you to burp them up and have a lasting memory of such prey.

Size:

It has been reported that the maximum length is more than 40 centimeters. However, even in the wild, these parameters should be regarded as extremely uncommon. The size of these fish is significantly influenced by the aquarium’s volume, going beyond the typical size of adult fish in their environments as demonstrated by specimens in aquariums measuring between 20 and 30 centimeters.

Very old females may be able to grow larger, but it will likely take a while because after the fish reaches 15 to 20 cm, their growth tends to slow down significantly.

Behavior and compatibility

Creates intricate social hierarchies and is best suited for groups of at least five or six people, ideally ten or more. Several sources claim that keeping in smaller numbers causes more secrecy and aggression. They grow to a length of 8–10 cm in the first year of life fairly quickly, after which their growth slows down and becomes more erratic.

A gregarious and nimble fish, it can be seen dancing for hours near the viewing glass, pleading for food. It’s interesting to note that the entire school, big and small, participates in this dance, which takes up the entire space of the aquarium in terms of height and length. It’s a breathtaking and unforgettable sight.

Their playful and upbeat nature will liven up any aquarium. The appeal of the mixed-age group is particularly highlighted, and it is ideal to add new members to the flock on a yearly basis.

The fish’s remarkable ability to swim in all positions, their rapid speed, and their deft maneuvering between objects are other unavoidable characteristics. They also avoid getting stuck in shelters thanks to their superior reversing speed. When you see your favorite, literally squeezed into a crack in an inexplicable pose, you shouldn’t freak out. They slumber in any position that occurs to them. There should be a variety of shelters in the aquarium, but the most appropriate ones should be used.

They are able to produce guttural sounds that resemble clicking, just like many other botias.

Aquarium

A tank that is at least 150 by 60 centimeters in size is sufficient to house a group of fish, and young fish should be raised in smaller aquariums as long as they receive weekly partial water changes.

A natural style arrangement can have driftwood, consisting of roots and branches, as well as a substrate of sand or fine gravel with lots of smooth, water-rounded stones and pebbles.

As they like to hide in groups of two or three, the aquarium should have an adequate number of wide shelters where they can observe everything going on around them with curiosity. The most important feature of the shelters, which can be made of any material and designed in any way to protect the fish from harm, is that they have no sharp edges or corners. Your pets will constantly have scratches, but since they have good water indicators, you shouldn’t worry too much about them because they heal quickly.

They will not keep you waiting for long if you position it closer to the bottom, and they will express their gratitude by "riding" on the current. They adore it.

Not all plants can thrive in low light levels; however, some species, like java moss, anubias, cryptocorynes, and various ferns, can. Nymphaea, Echinodorus, and certain Hygrophila species also thrive in brighter light.

Additionally, a tightly fitting lid is required because these loaches occasionally jump.

Water parameters:

24 to 30 degrees Celsius pH range: 5.0 to 7.0 Hardness range: 4–12 dH

Aerated, well-filtered, and free of nitrates. They will not put up with the buildup of organic waste.

These factors make it impossible to introduce them into a biologically immature system; instead, they thrive in stable, established aquariums. Weekly water changes that account for 30% of the volume should be regarded as standard from a maintenance perspective.

Feeding

In an aquarium, feeding is not a difficult task. The fish consume all types of food because they are omnivores. They consume high-quality chips, granules, tablets, and dry food with joy. They will be content with tubifex, corethra, and frozen or live bloodworms. It is essential to include plant-based foods in the diet, such as blanched spinach, zucchini, cucumber, melon, and special tablets.

Ground melania snails are destroyed by fish. Although they are omnivores by nature, they can also consume plants, especially soft-leafed aquatic plants.

Sexual dimorphism

Compared to males, adult females are larger and have a rounder, fuller belly. at five years old, reaches sexual maturity.

Clown loaches, or Chromobotia macracanthus, are a colorful and entertaining addition to any aquarium because of their eye-catching orange and black striped pattern and active personality. These gregarious fish are a favorite among aquarium enthusiasts because they live well in groups and give a tank exciting movement. This post will go over how to take care of these fascinating fish in your aquatic setup, including what kind of tank environment is best and how to maintain their health.

Breeding

Under aquarium conditions, reproduction is challenging.

In 1996, the first account of these problematic fish naturally and spontaneously spawning during breeding was published. Additionally, breeding different botias—including Chromobotia macracanthus—using hormonal injections in accordance with Russian-developed techniques has been carried out in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Asia for a considerable amount of time.

According to one of the websites, one of the first confirmed instances of Chromobotia macracanthus spawning in an aquarium was seen and captured on camera by Scottish citizen Colin Dunlop in October 2007. One female and three males, all between the ages of 14 and 20 centimeters, participated in the mating process. Fish in the middle layers of the water exhibited unusual behavior prior to spawning: three males started actively pursuing a large female.

Having noticed this behavior, Dunlop transplanted the entire group from a 1100-liter aquarium into a small (90 * 45 * 45 cm) spawning tank, with a plastic net on the bottom and several plastic pipes as shelters. The water, just like in the main aquarium, had a very low pH value – 4.5. Soon, the female (the largest individual in the group) spawned several hundred eggs, after which all the fish disappeared into the pipes. The aquarist"s joy was immeasurable, unfortunately, only a couple of dozen eggs out of several hundred were fertilized. The aquarist believes that the success was due to the long-term maintenance of fish at a low pH value (4.5-5.5) and a relatively low, 20-25 ° C, temperature in the spawning tank. And Dunlop considers such a small percentage of fertilization to be his mistake – he should not have transferred the fish to the breeding tank.

Clowns are thought to live for at least 20 years.

An intriguing addition to any aquarium is the clown loch. Fish aficionados love it for its vivid colors and lively disposition. It can be quite entertaining to watch these fish dart around and engage with their surroundings. Their distinct appearance and gregarious disposition also make them a prominent element in any tank.

There are obligations associated with taking care of clown loaches. They do best in groups of three or more, so it’s best to keep them in schools where they can feel included and comfortable. To keep them content, they also require a large, clean tank with hiding places and a soft filter. A balanced diet and frequent water changes will help them stay in excellent condition.

In summary, the clown fish is a fantastic option if you want to add a vibrant, lively fish to your aquarium. These fish will not only make your tank look more beautiful, but they will also give you hours of entertainment if given the proper care and surroundings. Just don’t forget to provide them with the company and room they require to flourish. Cheers to many years of fishkeeping!

Video on the topic

clown loaches sleep on their side pretending to be dead

Clown Board (Chromobotia Macracanthus)

Chromobotia macracanthus, clown

Clown Board – Chromobotia Macracanthus | Bright bottom aquarium fish

Botia (Botia), Clown Botia (Chromobotia macracanthus), Marble Botia (Botia almorhae)

What part of aquarium maintenance do you consider the most difficult?
Share to friends
Ivan Kononov

Experienced aquarist with an emphasis on breeding and keeping exotic aquarium fish. Author of many articles and books on the topic of aquarium keeping. Always in search of new species and interesting solutions for home aquariums. I believe that an aquarium is not only a home decoration, but also a means of studying nature and its laws.

Rate author
InfoProekt24.com
Add a comment