Animal-World > Aquarium Tropical Fish > Loaches > Clown Loach

Clown Loach

Tiger Loach

Family: CobitidaeChromobotia macracanthusPhoto © Animal-World: Courtesy Marisa Monaco

The Clown Loach is a very popular fish, loved for its bright colors and is one of the more outgoing loach personalities!

The Clown Loach Chromobotia macracanthus is one of the most beautifully colored and patterned of all the freshwater fish. This very popular fish is also known as the Tiger Loach. It has a bright orangish to reddish body and three broad jet black vertical bars, with one passing through the eye. It also has a bright to deep red coloring on the front fins and tail. All together this vibrant, complimentary color combination makes it an extremely striking fish. They are most colorful when they are young however, and do become a bit less brilliant as a larger fish.

This fish will need a good sized tank as an adult because in the aquarium a Clown Loach can grow up to about 6 1/2 to 8 inches (16-20 cm) long. The word "macracanthus" stands for "big spine", and as this name suggests they have a pre orbital spine that is quite large. Being pre orbital means the spine is located in the area under and in front of the eyes. It makes an effective defensive weapon. They also have four barbels in the mouth area, and have been known to make audible clicking sounds.

The Clown Loach likes an aquarium with lots of plants and other areas for retreat. For the most part they are a shy bottom dweller, but unlike many loaches this Tiger Loach is active during the day. Once they are secure in their environment they can even become quite tame. They like the company of their own species and can also be kept with other fish. Clown Loaches are fairly easy to keep, but they are prone to ich.

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

Care and feeding: Since they are omnivorous, the Clown Loach or Tiger Loach will generally eat all kinds of live foods, flakes, and algae. They like tablets and frozen foods as well. To keep a good balance give them a high quality flake food everyday. Feed brine shrimp (either live or frozen) as a treat. They also like mosquito larvae, tubifex, daphnia, and vegetable foods such as algae wafers.

This fish prefers a fairly large aquarium (30 gallons or so) with 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 Clown Loach or Tiger Loach Chromobotia macracanthus (previously Botia macrocanthus) is found in Southeast Asia; from Borneo, Sumatra, and Indonesia. They are found in either running or standing waters in their natural habitat.

Size - Weight: These fish get up to 12 inches (30 cm) in the wild though they haven't been known to reach that length in the home aquarium. Captive species are seldom longer than 6.5" (16 cm), with about 8" (20 cm) being the maximum.

Social Behaviors: A good community fish, they will tolerate other tank mates as well as enjoy other members of their own species. Lively and fun to watch.

Sexual Differences: The lobes of the caudal fin are thinner on males.

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: to 5° dH
Ph: 6.0-6.5
Temp: 77-86° F (25-30° C)

Breeding/Reproduction: The Clown Loach or Tiger Loach has rarely been bred in the home aquarium. There are only a couple of reports of success, with the most recent being in the fall of 2007 by Colin Dunlop from Carluke, Scotland. In an article from the publication Practical Fishkeeping, there are photographs of the spawn but he said that most of the eggs were infertile, and no fry have yet been reported. It is thought that they need a large aquarium with lots of hiding places, along with their being satisfied with their aquarium conditions.
They have been spawned commercially with the aid of hormones on fish farm in the Czech Republic, and farmed fish are available from both there and from Asia.

Availability: The Clown Loach or Tiger Loach is readily available and is very popular.

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, Clown Loach (Chromobotia macracanthus), Loaches Online, 2009
• Chromobotia macracanthus (Bleeker, 1852) Clown loach, Fishbase.org
• Bratz Walker, Sharks and Loaches, T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1974

Author: Clarice Brough CFS

• Chromobotia macracanthus : $16.99
• Chromobotia macracanthus : $24.99
• Chromobotia macracanthus : $9.99

Clown Loach Chromobotia Macracanthus Medium Offered By: That Pet Place Price: $16.99

Clown Loach Chromobotia Macracanthus Large Offered By: That Pet Place Price: $24.99

Clown Loach Chromobotia Macracanthus Small Offered By: That Pet Place Price: $9.99

Lastest Comments on Clown Loach View all 40 comments on Clown Loach Add Your Comment

Phantomwicca - 2012-05-16 We bought 2 of these little clown loaches. They are Very colorful and we just fell in love with them. One though had a lighter black pattern then the other. They hide a lot. Unfortunately the lighter one was found dead under the ship, and we know it didn't fall on him or anything. Poor little guys tail fin was sticking out. My grandson said it fell on him like the house on the wicked witch. lol Any way, we looked him over for ich but didnt find any. My question is the mate is missing. Could he have burrowed to far into the sand and we will see him again? We have searched the entire tank. We also have 2 irredescent sharks, but they are babies, and one little tiny eel like fish that spends most fo its time wrapped around a rock in the sand, too. Just curious, we just set up a 90 gallon aquarium for the first time. Anything will be helpful. Jeremy Roche - 2012-05-17 Loaches need a very well established tank. Not a good fish for a newly established tank. It could have burrowed. Sometimes the filters can suck these guys in too. Reply

Calvin - 2011-05-20 I have had my little clown loach for almost four months now and I will never forget his story. He was in a school of five when I saw him(or her) in the store and I immediately kept my eye on it. I've planned to buy all five in a week when I get home, but sadly, after the week has passed, he(or she) was the only one left. I still bought him, but I felt sad for him that he's alone and might not make it, so in a gambling effort, I bought with him 6 sumatra barbs, which endured with it the 3-hour trip home. At home in a matter of hours, they were really "at home" in my tank, with Loachie, schooling with the barbs. I also asked my brother to keep his eye on Loachie during the first week I'm not home for any signs of Ich. It was a miracle, all alone, yet Ich-free. He hasn't really grown today, but I heard they are slow-growing, so it's ok. But the end of my story, the best thing I ever did was buy those sumatra barbs, they are undoubtedly "the BEST" tankmates for clown loaches. Charlie Roche - 2011-05-20 Thank you for the information. I posted it as a great comment. I love the story and background. I am glad you are happy with them. Ryan - 2012-04-07 The clown loach I had was by far my favorite fish ever.Try introducing some grey cory catfish as I noticed my clown loach enjoyed playing with the 2 I had. BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF ICK, my poor loach died from it. Reply

Henry - 2011-05-27 By any chance is it true that a clown loach will directly get stunted if he's the only one of his kind in the aquarium? I have 1 in a 55 gallon tank, and like Calvin, he is with 6 tiger barbs. With that space, I assumed I can't house any more of his kind, and I'm just a kid so I can't afford a bigger tank. He's out all the time and hides only to sleep at night (quite frankly, he doesn't even hide when I make water changes). He is also a pig when it comes to eating, LOL. Under those conditions I immediately concluded that I really didn't need to buy any more of them. Right now he's only 1.75 inches, and has stayed with me for 3 months. I thought I was taking really good care of him until I read on some sites that keeping a clown loach alone will stunt it, which really alarmed me. Charlie Roche - 2011-05-27 You can have just one clown loach and they won't get stunted or die. It is OK. When you have more than one clown loach they are more active just because there are other loaches to play with. Sounds like yours is doing fine. There is no reason it should be stunted. That is dependent on food and size of tank. Henry - 2011-05-28 Thank you so much! That's what I thought, too. I just really needed to confirm it from experienced individuals such as those from this site. I hope the other sites will be more careful with information. They may have right intentions, but everyone deserves to know the truth. I'm really happy and relieved. Thanks!!! Makaila - 2011-08-18 A few years ago I'd have to pay soemnoe for this information. ug - 2012-01-15 i really think it has something to do with its size. if the clown loach is bigger than the tiger barb it will still get provoked, but if the clown loach retaliates it will no longer attack. However, it is out numbered by other spieces so more than likely it will not come out of its hole, only if it is hungry. u will need to buy more loaches by the warmer season... Ryan - 2012-04-07 I don't know, but i had a clown loach in a 10 gallon with cory cats and some others. He was only a couple inches long and then I moved him to my dads 75 gallon tank that had a wide vareity of fish some being agressive but he held his own. I don't know if he was stunted cause he was the only one or if there wasnt enough space or if it was just his max size but after about 4 years he died at about 4-5 inches from ick. Reply

fish_are_awesome - 2011-10-05 Can I keep 4 clown loaches with 2 firemouth cichlids in a 55 gallon tank? Thanks for your responses! Charlie Roche - 2011-10-05 Rule of thumb is one usable gallon for every inch your adult fish is going to be. You have to subtract gallons for plants, gravel, filter, decorations etc. The clown loache is going to go about 12 inches. You would need about a 60 gallon tank for the 4 loaches. The loaches when they get a little bigger will also probably kill/attack the cichlids. fish_are_awesome - 2011-10-06 Thanks, aren't the cichlids more aggresive than the loaches? Ryan - 2012-04-07 Fish will generally grow to their environment, meaning that if you put a clown loach in a 10 gallon tank then it's not gonna get to 12 inches. I'm not saying cram your tank full of fish. The one gallon per inch is a great rule of thumb. But the clown loaches attacking other fish is exetremely unlikely because I have had them before and they are really freindly active fish. Reply

Michael Mclure - 2007-01-01 i just bought 4 clown loaches. they all ae great but they keep hiding in the treasure chest, only coming out for food when it comes down. E T G - 2012-03-08 I also bought the same fish two they went in too hiding it's been over a week or two. When do they come out and stay out it would be nice to see them more Elaine Taylor Gray - 2012-03-08 I also bought the same fish to. They went into hiding. It's been over a week or two when do they come out and stay out? It would be nice to see them more what make them hide out Reply

fishy - 2010-04-14 i bought 2 clown loaches yesterday 1 of them is active n keeps swimming but the other one just stays at 1 place it only moves when I bang my palm on the glass of my aquarium plz tell me is he fine or is he sick? spencer - 2010-11-16 Fishy. If your clown loach is like that, you check if it has white spots all over its body. If it has, your loach has ich which is a disease common among tropical fishes, especially clown loach. If not treated, it could kill your fish. I would recommend adding in medicine that is used to treat white spots/ich and get a heater to heat the water temperature to 30 degrees-spencer. HANDSOME - 2012-01-25 I think it is sick.Is there any white spots?They are prone to ich. Alex Burleson - 2012-02-02 You should never tap the glass. This, stresses the fish out. He could be adjusting to the aquarium, give him a few days. Reply

Add your comment!

View all 40 comments on Clown Loach

Back to Loaches