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Berdmore's Loach

Blyth's Loach, Burmese Peppered Firetail Botia

Family: CobitidaeSyncrossus berdmoreiPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Ken Childs

The Berdmore's Loach is beautiful large loach, but has a rather quarrelsome nature!

The Berdmore's Loach Syncrossus berdmorei is a good sized fish, reaching between 6 to 8 inches (15 - 20 cm) long in the aquarium. The adult coloration is quite striking. It has a brownish gold background color with strong clear vertical green banding. This is topped with elongated spots running horizontally along the body and onto the tail fin. There is also a strong red coloring in the fins and tail. It is known by several common names including Blyth's Loach, Burmese Peppered Firetail Botia, Redfin Tiger Loach, Berdmore's Tiger Loach, and Tiger Loach.

As a juvenile this species is quite similar in to its close relative the Chameleon loach Syncrossus beauforti ( previously Botia beauforti) in both color and body. But as adults only the Berdmore's Loach retains the green banding, and it grows much larger than the S. beauforti. When falling in love with the exquisite beauty of the Berdmore's Loach be ready for its rather quarrelsome nature. It could be okay with more robust tank mates, but it may want to be the star of its own aquarium and not tolerate any tankmates.

The Berdmore's Loach can range between a community to semi-aggressive fish. Each fish will have its own degree of aggressive behavior.They are often intolerant of other loaches even their own species. Plan on keeping only one in the aquarium unless there are plenty of caves or retreats available for each to establish its own territory.

Don't keep them with any timid fish, rather keep them in a large aquarium with other more robust tank mates. As they can grow quite large they will need plenty of room for swimming. It is also recommended that they be kept in an aquarium with good clear water. They have two hinged spines beneath the eyes that they use for fighting. Be careful when moving them as these spines can easily get caught in a net.

For Information on keeping freshwater fish, see:
Freshwater Aquarium Guide: Aquarium Setup and Care

Care and feeding: Since they are omnivorous, the Berdmore's Loach or Blyth's loach will generally eat all kinds of live and frozen foods, sinking pellets, and a bit of algae in a sinking tablet. Because they spend almost all their time on the bottom of the aquarium sinking food is necessary.

This fish requires a larger sized aquarium (30 - 35 gallons minimum and larger as they grow) with places for retreat such as rocks, caves, and roots. Provide a soft substrate such as a fine gravel or sand.They do best in a soft to medium water with frequent water changes of about 10% a week. The substrate can be gravel or a large grain sand that does not have sharp edges.

Distribution: The Berdmore's Loach Syncrossus berdmorei (previously Botia beauforti) is found in Asia; India, Myanmar and central Thailand. They inhabit clear mountain streams as well as medium to large sized rivers. Other common names they are known by include Blyth's Loach, Burmese Peppered Firetail Botia, Redfin Tiger Loach, Berdmore's Tiger Loach, and Tiger Loach.

Size - Weight: These fish are can reach about 6 - 8" (15 - 20 cm) in the aquarium, but in the wild these fish can get up to 10" (25 cm).

Social Behaviors: They may be kept in a community aquarium with other semi-aggressive tank mates but are generally intolerant of other loaches, even their own species. It is best to keep one per aquarium unless there is lots of space and caves for each to stake out its own territory.

Sexual Differences: Unknown.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom: These fish are bottom dwellers.

Acceptable Water Conditions: Hardness: up to 12° dH
Ph: 6.5 - 7.5
Temp: 72 - 79° F (22 - 26° C)

Breeding/Reproduction: The Berdmore's Loach has not been bred in the aquarium and they are not yet bred commercially.

Availability: The Berdmore's Loach or Blyth's loach is often available.

References

• Animal-World References: Freshwater Fish and Plants
• Dr. Rüdiger Riehl and Hans A. Baensch, Aquarium Atlas Vol. 1, Publisher Hans A. Baensch, 1991
• Martin Thoene, Syncrossus berdmorei, Loaches Online, 2009
• Syncrossus berdmorei (Blyth, 1860) Blyth's loach, Fishbase.org
• Bratz Walker, Sharks and Loaches, T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1974

Author: Clarice Brough CFS

Lastest Comments on Berdmores Loach View all 5 comments on Berdmores Loach Add Your Comment

fishdude - 2006-08-21 I have one of these little terrors. I've never seen a loach more aggresive than this one. He attacks all of my fish when they swim by him, even my convict cichlid and green terror. If he's scared, he darts away back into his little hole. He likes to snack on feeder fish, brine shrimp, and freeze-dried krill. Reply

Tan Hui Chun - 2010-09-27 I want to keep a berdmore's loach fish. Can this type of fish live in a tank without water filter and low oxygen situation? Can anyone reply me? samiran roy,india - 2011-08-30 You can keep it, but you will have to make daily 25% water changes. Reply

JT - 2011-07-13 I originally purchased this fish to control the snail population in my planted. While he kept the snails at bay but also killed all the other fishes until I started stocking the tank with cichlids. The planted cichlid tank ain't easy but works sometimes. Charlie Roche - 2011-07-14 The Berdmore's Loach or Blyth's loach can range between a community to semi-aggressive fish. Each fish will have its own degree of aggressive behavior. Don't keep them with any timid fish, rather keep them in a large aquarium with other more robust tank mates. They are carnivores and you see other fish and they see food. When grown, the cichlids are almost as large as the loach - but how big are they now? Reply

daniel - 2008-11-01 We have had a Peppered Firetail Tiger Loach (one of these guys, just a much cooler descriptive name) for about 8 months. Though he does chase after some species when the hang out on the bottom for too long, he is perfectly content with smaller loach species and corys. We 5 zodiac loaches for a long time with him (moved them to a smaller tank and 2 got killed selecting breeding partners... though we did end up getting a huge batch of eggs, which was cool), and recently restocked with small YoYo, one sinoboria pulchra (Red-Lipped Botia, though actually has yellow lips), two golden zebra loaches, and one giant YoYo that's about 7 in. We were a little worried about aggression from the Tiger Loach (he's 6 in.), but he really gets along with the YoYo well. The way to keep peaceful loaches: Give them hiding places. And peaceful bottom dwellers. Grab some large corys and your tiger will probably stop terrorizing your fish, since corys are oblivious to tankmates. Fish like to form hierarchies, and all the space the loaches have to discover that is on the bottom. If each fish has a place to call his own, it won't be anywhere near as aggressive. Reply

greg - 2008-03-30 I also have one of these in my African cichlid tank. This fish is extremely aggressive towards all of my fish. I put him in and immediately he began tormenting all fish, even fish much larger than him. He is very interesting to watch I just hope my other fish get used to him soon. They all seem to be scared. Reply

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