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Chinese Golden Zebra Loach

Botia Robusta, Kansu Loach

Family: CobitidaeSinibotia robustaPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Ken Childs

The Botia Robusta has been given a truly fitting name, the Chinese Golden Zebra Loach!

The Chinese Golden Zebra Loach Sinibotia robusta is a lively darling, and fun to watch. This loach is quite the elegant looker with its rich golden body and contrasting bold black bands. It was previously just simple known as Botia Robusta, which was also its earlier scientific name. But as things get sorted out in the taxonomy and aquarium world, handsome fish like this one also get sorted out. It is also known as the Kansu Loach, as one of its places of origin is the Gansu (Kansu) Province in China.

True to its name, the Chinese Golden Zebra Loach has a yellowish or golden background color with black bar markings. This makes for a striking appearance and is found on the Botia Robusta both as a juvenile and as an adult. The horizontal striping across the head and through the eyes are followed by dark vertical bands along the rest of the body and through the dorsal and tail fin. The dark bands also tend to fork into two narrower strips at about the center and as they wrap under the belly. The pectoral fins are a translucent yellow.

Though generally a good community fish with other loaches and tank mates, the Botia Robusta are quite active and can get aggressive. They have been reported to occasionally nip the fins of their tank mates when feeling agitated. They can be kept in small groups of their own species (three or more), but they are also a more independent loach and can be kept singly as well. Because they are naturally nocturnal, they will be active at dusk and in the evening. They also enjoy snacking on snails, so are good for snail control.

The Chinese Golden Zebra Loach is one of the loaches that can be acclimated to a brackish type aquarium. The water can be medium to hard and they can handle a fairly broad temperature range. Like all loaches the Botia Robusta will appreciate lots of hiding and resting places in caves, rocks, and roots. They also like a planted aquarium but with open space for swimming.

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

Care and feeding:

Since they are omnivorous, the Botia Robusta will generally eat all kinds of live foods, sinking pelleted and tablet foods, flakes, and algae. They like frozen foods as well. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake or tablet food everyday. Feed mosquito larvae and brine shrimp (either live or frozen), tubifex, daphnia, and some vegetable foods such as algae wafers. They will also eat snails, so are good for snail control.
This fish prefers a larger sized aquarium (30 gallons or so) with plants and places for retreat such as rocks, caves, and roots. Plants are also appreciated. Provide a soft substrate such as a fine gravel or sand. They do best in a medium hard water with frequent water changes of about 10% a week. This is one of the loaches that can also be acclimated to a brackish aquarium.

Distribution:

The Chinese Golden Zebra loach Sinibotia robusta (previously Botia Robusta) is found in Asia; China and Vietnam.

Size - Weight:

These fish reach up to about 5 - 7 " ( 13 - 18 cm) though they are usually on the smaller side in the aquarium.

Social Behaviors:

Though they are generally a peaceful community fish, they are quite active and can get aggressive. They have been known to nip the fins of their tank mates when aggravated. They can be kept with three or more of their own species but as they are a more independent loach, they can also be kept singly.

Sexual Differences:

Unknown.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:

These fish are mostly bottom dwellers, but will occasionally swim in the middle of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:

Hardness: medium hard of 6 - 22° dH
Ph: 7.0 - 7.8
Temp: In the wild, a subtropical 65 - 75° F (18 - 24° C)
Have been kept in the aquarium at 77 - 83° F (25 - 28° C)

Breeding/Reproduction:

The Botia Robusta have not been bred in the aquarium and they are not yet bred commercially.

Availability:

The Botia Robusta is occasionally 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
• Dr. R{uuml}diger Riehl and Hans A. Baensch, Aquarium Atlas Vol. 4 , Mergus Verlag (June 30, 2004)
• Martin Thoene, Sinibotia robusta, Loaches Online, 2009
• Sinibotia robusta (Wu, 1939), Fishbase.org
• Bratz Walker, Sharks and Loaches, T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1974

Author: Clarice Brough CFS

Lastest Comments on Chinese Golden Zebra Loach View all 4 comments on Chinese Golden Zebra Loach Add Your Comment

Colin Bragg - 2008-04-28 I have 3 of these fish in my 33 gallon and are my favourite fish. They are very shy mainly due to their nocturnal habits but will eventually get used to you coming near the tank. I have had great success with blue LED lights that are normally used for reef tanks. The blue lights let these fish come out at night when they are much bolder and you will still be able to see them. They can be quite inquisitive, they will be quite happy to sit and watch you whilst you watch them. Their eyes are not so fixed to their heads, they can move them so they can look right at you which is really nice. These fish like to snuggle up close with each other for comfort and have been known to tussle with each to get comfortable :D I've seen them occasionally sneer and push away another fish that comes near their spot but... I have mine with neon tetras and I trust the loaches 100% with them. My fish love live food and frozen food like Daphnia and even blood worms if they manage to get some :S but their staple diet are the plant pellets that I feed them. (I think they'd be the first to eat eggs so be careful if you breed). Not had much luck with cucumber or spinach but working with other veg. They are fantastic snailers too so don't deliberately mix them with snails. Although they don't need a shoal, from what I've seen of mine, they seem to appreciate the comfort that a couple more give them. These fish need immaculate water to feel comfortable, in less than perfect conditions mine hide away more. In fresh water, they become more playful and even swim in the center of the tank more. My biggest tip is not to turn down their lights like most loach experts say. In their native countries the light can be bright.... instead use the blue LED moon lights and allow them to continue being nocturnal. :D Reply

Sharon - 2010-04-18 I have one in a 10-gallon tank mixed with several guppies...they do well together...my botia does like to chase the guppies but it hasn't killed anyone... I'm new to fish and the guy at the pet store said it would work...does anyone see any problems? I've had him mixed with my guppies for about 2 months...would he need a bigger tank soon? There are other bottom dwellers in my tank but I only have one botia robusta. He was aggressive at first but now is fine. Reply

Joes - 2009-12-23 Hi I have 5 Sinobotia robusta in a 120 gallon tank. They are together with a group of Clown, 15 harlekin tetras, 15 dwarf rainbow fish and probably more than 100 shrimps. I got some 15 four years ago, they have multiplied since, despite the group of loaches in my tank. There are enough places to hide, both for the big and smaller species, provided by rocks, wood and lots of Java ferns growing on the woods and the back. The Sinobotia seem to be very social fish, they swim together, often lay close to each other, touching each other. Not so shy at all, as I can see them very often during daytime. I have not seen them going after other inmates. So according to me, rather peaceful fish. they are a curious species, come out to see what we do. beg for food with all the other fish. A species I would recommend to have in a group. Reply

mike d. - 2008-08-27 I have one of these botia robusta in my 55 gallon tank and I must say he is pretty aggressive when he wants to be. Right now I have him in there with a 5in texas and 2 juvenile severums and he owns the aquarium. The texas and he got into a huge fight the first day over a cave, and the botia won. He regularly chases the severums right off the bottom if they go anywhere near the bottom of the aquarium. Very interesting fish, very tough, and he holds his ground when he has to. Reply

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