All fish / Botiidae

Blue Botia

Yasuhikotakia modesta

Also known as blue loach, orange-finned loach, redtail botia, red fin botia, botia modesta, grey botia, blue botia loach, ปลาหมูหางแดง, ปลาหมูอารีย์, ボティア・モデスタ, botia biru, 蓝鼠

A sturdy, slate blue to greenish grey loach with bright orange or red fins, it grows large and lives for many years. It is kept for its striking colour contrast, lively social behaviour and its appetite for pest snails.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

25 to 30 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more

Diet

Omnivore: sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, snails, shrimp and some vegetables

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 20 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Mekong and Chao Phraya basins (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam)

Breeding

It has not been bred in home aquariums; trade fish are wild caught or produced on farms using hormone injections. Wild fish are thought to migrate to spawn during the rainy season.

Good to know

Adults reach about 20 cm and can be boisterous and territorial, bullying small or slow fish, so keep them in a sizeable group in a large tank with plenty of caves. They will eat snails and may nip at small shrimp.