Polka Dot Loach

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    Polka Dot Loach

    Polka Dot Loach

    Botia kubotai

    bottom swimmerNon-nipperCaution required
    Temperature
    22–28 °C
    pH
    6 – 7.5
    Min. tank size
    243 L
    Lifespan
    8-12 years
    Diet
    omnivore
    Care level
    moderate
    Quick Facts
    Scientific classification
    Scientific Name:Botia kubotai
    Family:Botiidae
    Origin:Southeast Asia (Ataran and Salween basins, Myanmar/Thailand)
    Care Characteristics
    Care Level:moderate
    Diet:omnivore
    Max Size:15.00 cm
    Water Type:freshwater
    Temp Group:tropical
    Temperament:semi aggressive
    Min Group:6+ together
    Varieties:No cultivated strains — the variation is individual, and it is considerable. The cream-and-black reticulation differs between fish and changes with age, so juveniles with clean round spots grow into adults with maze-like banding. Some keepers can identify individual fish in a group by pattern alone. The species was described in 2004 from the Ataran basin on the Thailand-Myanmar border, making it a relatively recent arrival in the hobby. The genus is where the alternatives sit. Botia contains several familiar aquarium fish: B. striata, the zebra loach, smaller and calmer; B. almorhae, the yoyo loach; B. histrionica, the golden zebra loach; and B. dario, the Bengal loach. All share the group requirement, the need for structure and a tight lid, and the tendency to nip long fins. The clown loach, now Chromobotia macracanthus, is the giant of the family and needs a far larger tank than any of them.
    Lifespan:8-12 years

    Quick Tips

    • Bioload:Medium
    • Min Tank:243 L
    • Substrate:Soft sand; caves and hiding spots
    • Plant Safe:Plant-safe
    • Filtration:Moderate to high (clean, oxygenated water)

    Polka Dot Loach (Botia kubotai) is a species of fish in the family Botiidae. It is native to Southeast Asia (Ataran and Salween basins, Myanmar/Thailand). The polka dot loach is one of the best-looking fish in the Botia group and one of the most rewarding to keep, provided you keep enough of them. It reaches 150 mm standard length and is patterned in cream and black — a reticulated arrangement that shifts as the fish grows, so a juvenile with clean round spots becomes an adult with a maze-like network of bands and blotches. No two are quite alike. It was only described in 2004, from the Ataran river basin on the Thailand-Myanmar border, and it entered the hobby shortly after. Like all Botia it is gregarious, forms complex social hierarchies, and should be kept in groups of at least five or six specimens and preferably ten or more. It is also known to jump, so a tight lid is required.

    Compatibility

    Temperament
    semi aggressive
    Keep in
    Groups of 6+
    Swims
    bottom
    Fin nipper
    No
    Delicate fins
    No

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