Zodiac Loach
Mesonoemacheilus triangularis
- Care level
- Specialist
- Adult size
- 5.6–8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 80 litres
- Temperature
- 20–26 °C
Species profile
Zebra Loach
Botia striata
Common names: Zebra Loach
Recognized speciesLoaches
Adult size
Up to 10 cm
Typical adult length 7–10 cm.
Up to 10 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- Keepers able to provide at least a 90 cm aquarium with the substrate, current, and cover this loach needs.
- A mature aquarium where bottom-feeding fish receive targeted food and regular maintenance.
Think carefully if
- The aquarium is shorter than 90 cm or cannot support the recommended social group.
- Ornamental snails, dwarf shrimp, timid fish, or long-finned tankmates are important parts of the aquarium.
Zebra Loach is a bottom-dwelling loach requiring a 90 cm or longer aquarium, suitable substrate, stable water, and species-appropriate social housing.
Appearance and Identification
A compact golden loach covered by many narrow dark vertical stripes, with striped fins and a rounded botiid profile.
A social species that should not be kept singly despite its modest adult size.
External sexing is unreliable in juveniles. Mature females are usually deeper-bodied and fuller through the abdomen, while males may remain slimmer.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 400–500 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 100–150 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 100 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 90 cm
- Minimum group size
- 5
- Recommended group size
- 6
- Activity level
- High
- Flow preference
- Moderate
- Planting preference
- Moderately planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- High
Keep a social group in an aquarium at least 90 cm long with a broad floor area, smooth sand or fine rounded gravel, strong filtration, wood, caves, and several shaded retreats. Maintain open routes between shelters and use a secure lid.
Behaviour and Tankmates
Zebra Loach is an active, intelligent social loach. Group members establish a hierarchy through chasing, clicking, side-by-side contests, and brief displays. A group that is too small can focus pressure on one fish.
Keep at least 5, preferably 6 or more. Do not keep a single specimen as a substitute for providing enough space.
Not permanently territorial, but dominant fish may control favourite caves or feeding positions. Provide more shelters than fish.
Use robust, similarly active tankmates that cannot be swallowed and do not have long delicate fins. Avoid ornamental snails, dwarf shrimp, very timid fish, and cramped groups of other bottom dwellers.
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Xilong XL-803D canister filter – up to 100 L
An external-filter option for the moderate-flow setup described above. The seller lists a 400 L/h pump and an aquarium capacity of up to 100 litres.
Check the volume of your actual aquarium and the needs of its complete stocking. Use the flow control or spray bar to avoid a concentrated current. A larger tank or a species requiring strong river flow needs a different filter selection.
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Cut-to-fit aquarium filter media pad
A cut-to-fit pad for compatible filter compartments. The listing describes a sheet approximately 16 by 12 inches; check the offered variant and the space inside your filter.
The seller description varies between five and eight layers, so confirm the actual sheet before ordering. Keep the filter manufacturer’s media arrangement and avoid obstructing the flow.
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Xinyou ceramic filter rings – 300 g
A biological-media option for a filter with a suitable media basket. This listing is a 300 g pack of ceramic rings.
Check the ring size and available basket space. Installing new media does not make a new aquarium instantly cycled, and these rings do not replace routine water-quality checks.
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Water Parameters
Maintain stable, clean water within the stated range. Oxygenation, low organic waste, and gradual acclimation are more important than forcing an exact pH or hardness value.
Parameter caveat
Match the supplier water during acclimation and change temperature or mineral content gradually. Rare wild-caught loaches may arrive adapted to narrower conditions than the general range suggests.
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Manual aquarium siphon and gravel cleaner
A manual siphon for routine aquarium water changes and accessible waste removal. The seller lists a hose approximately 1.6 m long.
Control the flow and keep the intake clear of fish and delicate planting. Clean the areas appropriate for your substrate and layout rather than disturbing the entire planted bed.
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Feeding
- Diet types
- Insectivore, Omnivore, Scavenger
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Quality sinking omnivore pelletsUse as the daily staple and spread portions across the bottom.
- Frozen insect larvae and crustaceansOffer bloodworm, Artemia, mysis, or similar foods in suitable portions.
- Snails and shelled invertebratesUse occasionally for natural foraging; do not depend on pest snails as the complete diet.
Feed a varied sinking omnivore diet with quality pellets, frozen or live invertebrates, and occasional vegetable foods. Spread food across the aquarium so every member of the group can feed without crowding.
These loaches are enthusiastic feeders and can become overweight. Feed measured portions and check that shy individuals receive food.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Egg Layer, Egg Scatterer
- Breeding difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding temperature
- 25 °C
- Breeding pH
- 6.8
- Brood or egg count
- Potentially hundreds to several thousand eggs in large mature females; reliable aquarium counts vary.
- Incubation
- 1 days
- Parental care
- None
- Baby foods
- Infusoria or cultured microscopic foodUse when newly free-swimming fry are too small for Artemia.
- MicrowormsIntroduce once fry actively search the bottom.
- Newly hatched Artemia naupliiUse after fry are large enough to swallow nauplii.
Routine home-aquarium breeding of Zebra Loach is uncommon. Botiid loaches are seasonal egg scatterers with no parental care, and commercial production of some species relies on carefully managed conditioning and induced spawning. Adults may eat eggs, so any natural spawn must be separated or protected.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Asia, India, South Asia
- Natural habitat
- Freshwater River, River, Sand/Mud Substrate
- Aquarium contexts
- Freshwater Aquarium, Freshwater Community, Large Freshwater Aquarium
- Audience level
- Advanced
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Botia
- Family
- Botiidae
- Species group
- Fish, Loaches
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- Adult size
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- Minimum tank
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- Temperature
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