Polka Dot Loach (Botia kubotai) Care Guide
Botia kubotai is a yellow-and-black patterned loach from Myanmar's Salween headwaters, a peaceful active schooler for spacious tanks.
Overview
The Polka Dot Loach (Botia kubotai) is a botiid loach from Myanmar marked with a network of pale spots and bands on a dark body. It is a peaceful, active and gregarious species that forms complex social hierarchies and performs the playful 'loachy dance' and 'shadowing' typical of the group, along with audible clicking sounds.
Taxonomy
- Family: Botiidae
- Genus: Botia
- Scientific name: Botia kubotai
Habitat
The species is endemic to the headwaters of the Salween River basin on the Myanmar-Thailand border, including the Ataran and associated rivers. It lives in forest-shaded, well-oxygenated headwaters with clear water, a mixed sand and rock substrate, submerged driftwood and leaf litter.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 200 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 6.5-7.5
- GH: 5-12 °dGH
- Group size: 5 or more individuals (10+ preferred)
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
Diet
It is primarily carnivorous. The species takes quality dried products plus live and frozen bloodworm, Tubifex and Artemia, along with fresh vegetables such as cucumber and blanched spinach. It will also eat aquatic snails.
Compatibility
Not especially aggressive, but its activity can intimidate much smaller fishes. It should be kept in a group of at least five or six, and preferably ten or more, to settle its hierarchy. Slow-moving, long-finned species are best avoided as tankmates.