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Bengal LoachQueen Loach, Scarf Botia, Indian LoachFamily: Cobitidae Botia darioPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Deepak NopanyLatest Reader Comment - See More I have 3 bengal loaches & they ARE NOT community fishes... They swiped the head of my oranda red cap & are frequently attacking my 6 inch iridescent shark! Sovit The gorgeous Bengal Loach is a fairly small fish that loves to scavenge and snack on snails!Bengal Loach Contents The Bengal Loach Botia dario is a stately looking fish from Bangladesh, and thus is suitably named. But we do like its alternate name the "Queen Loach" as being much more descriptive of its regal appearance. It has a beautiful golden coloration with vertical black striping the length of its body and onto its tail. As this fish reaches maturity the stripes widen and the number of stripes increases, the overall coloration also becomes more subdued. It is also known as the Scarf Botia and as an Indian Loach in a more generic sense. When you first acquire a Bengal Loach it may initially be shy. But if it is kept in good company (being several of its own kind) and has a comfortable home, it will soon spend time out and about. They are shy of bright light and will appreciate caves and plants as places to hide. They will retreat during the day and then get active towards dusk. They are great scavengers and they eat snails, so are good for snail control. They are generally quite peaceful and though they may tussle with members of their own species, they don't really harm one another. They do well in a community aquarium with other less aggressive species, but they can hold their own with mildly aggressive tank mates. For Information on keeping freshwater fish, see: |
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Care and feeding: Since they are omnivorous, the Bengal Loach or Queen Loach will generally eat all kinds of live foods. They like tablets and frozen foods as well, but flake foods are not suggested. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen), mosquito larvae, tubifex, daphnia, and some vegetable foods such as algae wafers.
This fish does fine in a medium sized aquarium (20 gallons or so) with lots of plants and places for retreat such as rocks, caves, and roots. Also use subdued lighting. They do best in soft, slightly acidic water with frequent water changes of about 10% a week. Because they are burrowers, the substrate needs to be a fine gravel or sand that does not have sharp edges. Be sure to provide hardy plants with the roots protected and have decorations firmly placed on the glass bottom so they don't fall over. Plastic tubes also make safe and excellent hiding places.
Distribution: The Bengal Loach Botia dario is found in northern India, in the streams and rivers of Bangladesh. Other common names it is known by are Queen Loach, Scarf Botia, and Indian Loach.
The Bengal Loach is a small loach with a beautiful body color. They grow to about 2 1/2 inches (6.5 cm) in the aquarium, though they can get up to 6 inches (15.2 cm) in the wild. Its body is golden overall with 8 to 10 vertical black cross bands, sometimes connected in places. The banding starts just behind the eyes and extends all the way onto the tail fin. In the adult the color patterning becomes more subdued, the cross bands widen and their number can increase.
The Bengal Loach Botia dario is similar in appearance to the Ladder Loach Botia geto and the Hora Loach Botia dayi. They differ in patterning, and somewhat in in size and the shape of the head. Here are some of their distinctions:
- Bengal Loach
The Botia dario has a sloped, rounded head, and is marked with 8 to 10 dark cross bands on the body that may be connected horizontally in places. - Ladder Loach
The Botia geto has a steep angular forehead. It has 8 to 10 dark cross bands as well, but they can be either paired or single. It also has light eye-spot like areas along the lateral line. - Hora Loach
The Botia dayi is larger than either of the other two, reaching up 4 inches (10 cm) long in the aquarium. It has about 10 paired cross bands that may be connected, but only those in the dorsal region.
Size - Weight: These fish can get up to 2.5 inches (6.5 cm), though they can get up to 6 inches (15.2 cm) in the wild, they are usually smaller in the aquarium.
Social Behaviors: A good community fish. They can get a bit aggressive to members of their own species. They don't harm each other and it is most likely an establishing of a hierarchy. They are peaceful but they can hold their own with mildly aggressive tank mates. Though they hide during the day, they are lively and active in the evening. If they are kept with aggressive tank mates, especially large predatory catfish, they will hide in the substrate.
Sexual Differences: Full grown females will be rounder.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom: These fish are mostly bottom dwellers, but will occasionally swim in the middle or upper parts of the aquarium.
Acceptable Water Conditions: Hardness: soft up to about 10° dH
Ph: 6.5 - 7.5
Temp: 79-84° F (26-29° C)
Breeding/Reproduction: Not much is known about the breeding habits of the Bengal Loach or Queen Loach and they are not yet bred commercially.
Availability: The Bengal Loach or Queen Loach is usually available.
- Animal-World References: Freshwater Fish and Plants
- Dr. Rüdiger Riehl and Hans A. Baensch, Aquarium Atlas Vol. 1, Publisher Hans A. Baensch, 1991
- Dr. Rüdiger Riehl and Hans A. Baensch, Aquarium Atlas Vol. 3 , Voyageur Press, 1996
- Mark in Vancouver, Botia dario, Loaches Online, 2009
- Botia dario (Hamilton, 1822) Bengal loach, Fishbase.org
- Bratz Walker, Sharks and Loaches, T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1974
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