(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Yasuhikotakia modesta
Common Name: Redtail Botia, Blue Loach, Redtail Blue Loach,
Adult Size: 10 inches
Life Expectancy: 5 years
Habitat: Southeast Asia, from Northeast India, through to Vietnam and the Malaysian peninsula
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 72 - 86°F
- pH Range: 6.0 - 7.5
- Water Hardness: 8 - 12
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet & Nutrition: Omnivore; feed on both plants and animals. In the wild, their diet consists mostly of worms, insects, and small crustaceans, as well as small plant matter. In captivity, blue botia are not picky eaters, and will usually eat anything they are fed. Any combination of live, frozen, and commercial foods will suffice, as long as they are high-quality foods. Daphnia, Tubifex, bloodworms, micro worms and algae wafers are all known favorites.
Breeding & Spawning: Blue Botia are seasonal migrants and move to other bodies of water to spawn. For this reason, spawning them in captivity is a complicated process, with little to no success being recorded.
Gender: Sexually mature females tend to grow larger than males and have fuller bodies, particularly when carrying eggs.
Compatible Tank Mates: See Compatibility Chart