Botia
macracanthus, or Clown loach is native to Indonesia, Sumatra and Borneo.
In the wild, these fish can reach 12 inches in length; however in captivity they
generally remain smaller than 6 or 7 inches. Clown loaches are extremely
colorful and inquisitive inhabitants of a planted tank. They should be kept in
a group of at least two fish, since they are naturally social, but will be shy
and not often visible unless provided companionship with at least one other
Clown loach. They eagerly eat anything offered to them, including blood
worms, brine shrimp, and dried food. Some report that these fish occasionally
eat holes plant leaves, though I have not observed this behavior in my tank.
Water temperature for these fish should be somewhere between 74 and 79 degrees
Fahrenheit. Clown loaches tolerate a large range of water hardness and PH. Clown loaches
from Borneo have slightly different coloration than those found in Sumatra. (The
loach shown above is from Sumatra.) See
this article for more
interesting details about this exceptionally beautiful and lively fish.