1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Peaceful, social and playful in groups of 5 or more.
353 species in our list are a good match.
Peaceful, social and playful in groups of 5 or more.
Sinking pellets and frozen foods.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Mature females are fuller-bodied with a rounded snout; males have a longer snout with noticeably fleshier lips.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Not bred commercially ·
Not bred on purpose in home aquaria (one young fish turned up in Mark Duffill's community tank in 2008), but produced commercially using hormones; hormone-bred hybrids also appear on the market.
Wild groups are imported; pairing is not controlled in home tanks.
Species has no reliable captive spawning method; hobby spawnings are rare and unplanned.
Unknown in captivity; seasonal rain-type changes are suspected in the wild.
Unknown; spawning is almost never observed in aquaria.
Not documented in aquaria.
Described by Kottelat in 2004 from the Ataran River basin in Myanmar and named for fish collector Katsuma Kubota. It was sold under many trade names before it had a scientific name, and juveniles are easily confused with B. histrionica.
Maurice Kottelat described this loach in 2004. Its striking black-and-white pattern made it popular shortly after it began arriving from Myanmar. It needs clean, flowing water.
First described by Maurice Kottelat in 2004.
15 facts checked with sources
Valid name. TRADE NAMES: Seriously Fish's common name is 'polka-dot loach'; it was traded before being described and is still sold as Botia 'angelicus', 'marbled loach', 'Burmese border loach', 'cloud Botia', 'leopard loach' and 'gold-striped loach'. The legacy name 'Burmese zebra loach' was not found in the sources and risks confusion with the zebra loach, Botia striata (an Indian species). Juveniles are often confused with B. histrionica.
Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Botia kubotai · FishBase: Botia kubotai summaryLegacy has no family; recorded as sourced.
FishBase: Botia kubotai summary · Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Botia kubotaiSeriously Fish 15 cm SL (standard length); FishBase 15.0 cm (length type not given). Legacy 10 cm is low.
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotai · FishBase: Botia kubotai summaryLegacy 24-28 sits inside Seriously Fish's 22-28. FishBase gives no range.
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotaiLegacy matches Seriously Fish.
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotaiLegacy has no hardness; Seriously Fish value recorded.
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotaiSeriously Fish: base 120 x 45 cm, ~243 L. 120 x 45 x 45 cm = 243,000 cm³ = 243 L. Legacy 150 L is too small.
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotaiMay nip trailing fins of slow, long-finned fishes.
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotaiSeriously Fish treats it as a bottom-dweller; FishBase lists it as 'benthopelagic'.
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotaiLegacy has no native range (about-text says Myanmar and Thailand, which is supported). Catalog of Fishes also lists Yunnan. IUCN Data Deficient (2011, per FishBase).
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotai · Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Botia kubotaiLegacy tip 'hard to tell' understates the snout and lip difference.
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotaiLegacy says wild-caught only; Seriously Fish says it is also produced commercially with hormones.
Seriously Fish: Botia kubotaiLegacy 'often confused with other Botia in the trade' is supported. 'More orange tone than the zebra loach' is not in the sources; its pattern is black stripes and bars around yellow blotches.
Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Botia kubotai · Seriously Fish: Botia kubotai