How to Take Care of Botia Fish

Co-authored by Craig Morton

Last Updated: May 25, 2021 References

Botia fish comprise 56 unique species within the loach family They are a very active and sociable fish, and should be kept in schools of at least five individuals. Since they need to be kept in groups, you'll need a large tank of 30 gallons (110 L) or more. Botia are more susceptible to illnesses than some other fish, so ensure you change their water regularly, feed them a hearty diet, and monitor them for illnesses. Don't hesitate to take them to the vet if they seem lethargic or ill.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Keeping Your Botia Healthy

1
Monitor for illnesses. Loaches, having almost no scales, tend to acquire illnesses easily. There are two primary diseases that afflict botia.^{[1]
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- The first is known as ich (short for ichthyophthirius), a disease caused by a parasite that results in small white speckles across the surface of the fish.
- The second illness is known as skinny disease. Like ich, it is also caused by a parasite, and (as the name implies) results in your fish losing weight even when it is eating a normal diet.
- If you notice one or more of your botia are ill, remove them to a quarantine tank (a smaller backup tank with water of the same quality as that in your main tank) and do not introduce new fish to the tank until the illness has been cured.
2
Take your fish to the veterinarian if it is ill. Unfortunately, botia health is so delicate that many medications that work fine for other species cause adverse side effects in botia.^{[2]
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Research source} Consult with a veterinarian familiar with botia in order to treat your fish should they be afflicted by ich, skinny disease, or any other illness.
- If you notice your botia becoming lethargic, clamping its fins, rubbing against the side of the tank or against inanimate objects, or floating vertically for periods of time, it needs medical attention. These behaviors are abnormal and could be caused by any number of illnesses that a vet is best qualified to diagnose.
- Locate a fish specialist in your area using the American Association of Fish Veterinarians database at http://www.fishvets.org/tools/locator/locator.asp?id=30.
3
Feed your fish. Botia like to eat both frozen and dried food. Feed your botia a variety of foods at first and observe their behavior. Feed them primarily the foods they like the most, but maintain some variety in their diet. Feed your botia three times each day with the lights dimmed or out.
- To feet your fish, dump an appropriate amount of food in the water. The amount you need depends on how many fish you have in your tank. The back of most commercially available fish foods should have directions for use.
- If you notice uneaten food collecting on the bottom of the tank or floating near the top, this is a sign you’re over-feeding your fish. Scale back the amount of feed slightly until your fish consume everything you give them.
- You could feed your fish frozen foods like daphnia, brineshrimp, krill, or mysis.
- You could also feed them dried foods like sinking carnivore pellets, sinking catfish pellets, and algae wafers.
- Larger botia might enjoy salad shrimp.
- Botia also enjoy human snacks like cucumber and zucchini in small slices.
- Younger botia are less picky about what they eat than older botia.^{[3]
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- Keep in mind that a fish's stomach is about the size of its eye. Be careful not to overfeed your fish.^{[4]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Craig Morton
  Fish & Aquarium Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 21 July 2020.}
4
Only introduce healthy fish to your aquarium. When introducing new fish -- whether new botia or new dither fish -- ensure you purchase them from a reputable dealer. They should be at least two inches long. Fish smaller than two inches will require intensive feeding and will generally only cause headaches for you.^{[5]
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- Keep new fish in a quarantine tank for at least two weeks prior to introducing them to the main tank.^{[6]
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- Do not buy fish that seem lethargic or fish that have clamped fins (fins that are laying flat against the fish’s body).
- Botia are virtually scaleless and are therefore more susceptible to illnesses than other fish.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Maintaining a Proper Aquarium

Ensure your tank has a firmly-closed cover or mesh screen to ensure the fish cannot jump out but can still get fresh air circulating within the tank.^{[7]
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Research source} Your tank should hold at least 30 gallons (110 L).^{[8]
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Research source} A tank of this size is appropriate for about five five-inch botia fish. Of course, if you have space and money for a larger tank, your botia would surely appreciate it.
2
Choose the right type of water. Botia fish prefer water that is soft and slightly acidic (approximately 6.5-8 on the pH scale).^{[9]
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Research source} Their water should be clean, well-oxygenated, and low in nitrates. Ensure your tank has a pump to keep oxygen flowing into the tank, and a filter to keep yucky bits out. Include a thermometer in the tank so you can see what temperature the water is, and try to keep it between 75 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit (23.5 and 28 degrees Celsius).^{[10]
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- If you have trouble with the temperature, install an under-tank heater to boost the temperature, or a get an aquarium cooler to reduce the temperature.
- Use water that is distilled and dechlorinated.
- Check the specific needs for your particular species of botia when setting tank conditions.
3
Change the water regularly.^{[11]
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Research source} Water should be changed at least once a week. In order to change the water, carefully remove your fish to a quarantine tank.
- Remove 30% of the water in the main tank.^{[12]
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  Research source} You can use a measuring cup or a siphon.
- For instance, if your tank has 20 gallons (75.7 L) in it, you should remove six gallons of water.
- Add new water to the tank equal in amount to the water you removed from the tank.
- For instance, using the prior example, you would add six gallons of clean, fresh water of an appropriate pH, temperature, and hardness to the tank.
- Cycle the water for about 20 minutes with the pump, then replace the botia from the quarantine tank back into their main tank.
- In addition to weekly cleanings, change the tank water when you notice it is visibly dirty or has a lot of detritus floating on top or at the bottom.
4
Add substrate. There are several choices for substrate. You could add fine, smooth aquatic gravel, or aquarium sand.^{[13]
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Research source} Aquarium sand is a more natural choice compared to gravel. It is also cleaner than gravel, since gravel has large gaps between it where grime and yucky bits can accumulate.
- Do not keep your fish on any substrate that is sharp or jagged. Since botia fish are bottom-dwellers, they will spend a lot of time in close proximity to the substrate, and can wear down their barbells quickly on sharp substrate. It might also lead to infected barbells.
- Keep the substrate clean by using an aquarium vacuum on the bottom of the tank during weekly water changes. This will collect uneaten food bits and waste from the tank.
5
Include appropriate decor. While it is a good idea to include either natural or artificial aquarium rocks just as you would with any fish, be careful to ensure any rocks you include are not rough or sharp. Lava rock, for instance, should be excluded from botia fish aquariums.
- Additionally, avoid introducing rocks or features with very deep, narrow cracks. Botia fish like to wiggle their way into very narrow cracks where they might get stuck. Use a silicone adhesive to close openings and fill small cracks in aquarium features.
- Elements that are easy and safe to incorporate into your botia fish tank include bogwood and slate.
- While it is important that no very narrow cracks exist, you must still include some areas where the fish can hide. Botia fish get stressed if they feel they cannot conceal themselves or if they feel threatened. A small fish house or hollowed-out log are good choices.
- Don’t bother adding plants. Botia will eat them.^{[14]
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- Only use aquarium-safe decorations in your fish tank.^{[15]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Craig Morton
  Fish & Aquarium Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 21 July 2020.}
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Introducing Your Fish to the Tank

1
Turn off your aquarium lights. If you have overhead or internal aquarium lights, they might stress your new fish. Keep the lights off for the first three or four hours to avoid stressing your new botia.^{[16]
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- Botia are most active in the dark. Keep the lighting levels low most of the time, even when you’re nearby, to avoid upsetting them.
^{[17]
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Research source} Put the sealed transport bag with the botia still in it into the tank. Let the botia bag float on top of the aquarium water. After five minutes, take the bag out, and slowly pour out about half the water. Place one open corner of the bag into the tank and fill it up with water from the tank. Leave the bag with mixed water in for 20-25 minutes. Finally, open the bag and let the botia join the rest of the tank fish.
Beneath their eyes, botia have tiny spikes known as suborbital spines. These spines are released in self-defense when they feel threatened or stressed, including when they are scooped out of one tank and into another. When transferring your botia from its bag or tank into its new home for the first time (or any time) be sure not to entangle the suborbital spines with the netting.^{[18]
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4
Bring in some fish friends. To most closely approximate the natural environment of the botia fish, you must keep them in multiples. A population of five botia fish is the minimum you should maintain.^{[19]
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- If you keep your botia fish by itself, it might become aggressive or reclusive, and could starve itself to death.
- In addition to others of their kind, botia like to see “dither fish” -- fish of other species that show the botia the waters are safe to swim in. Danios, rasboras, tetras, and barbs make excellent dither fish.
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What should I do if my fish is sick?

Craig Morton
Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc.
Craig Morton is the CEO of Aquarium Doctor Inc. based in Huntington Beach California and servicing Orange County, Los Angeles County, and the Inland Empire. With over 30 years of aquarium experience, Craig specializes in creating custom aquarium designs along with aquarium installation, service, and maintenance.

Craig Morton

Aquarium Specialist, Aquarium Doctor Inc.

Expert Answer

It depends on the illness. Start with a water change, then add some aquarium salt to the tank. This is the least harmful method, and it's effective at treating infections.

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Can I put a clown loach in my 108 litre (28 gallon) tank? If not, then what other loaches can I keep in a tank of this size?

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Clown loaches are not appropriate for a 28 gallons tank as they can get quite large and, like other loaches, should be kept in groups of at least five. Botia should be kept in a tank of at least 30 gallons, so a tank of 28 gallons is in adequate for keeping them.

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What would be a good-sized tank for some clown loaches?

Dieyun Ding

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Clown loaches should be housed in a 60 gallon tank or larger.

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Tips

Botia can be very difficult to manage and are not recommended for beginners.^{[20]
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Botia fish are very shy and easily scared. Do not try to interact with them by tapping on their glass or splashing their water.

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Well cared-for botia can live 10 years or more.

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