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Encyclopedia / Loaches / Zebra loach
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Variations

1 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Zebra loach

Botia striata · Striata

Peaceful; eats snails.

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9 cmBody length, without tail ✓
23–26 °CTemperature ✓
6.5–7.5pH ✓
108 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Zebra loach is tropical.
  • They need different temperatures (23–26 °C vs 14–22 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Zebra loach only grows to 9 cm.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (23–26 °C vs 10–22 °C). No setting suits both.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

325 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓1–10 dGH
Group size ✓5 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 4–5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful; eats snails.

Food

Sinking foods.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Mature females are plumper than males, especially when full of eggs.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Rarely bred in captivity ·

Not known to have been bred in the hobby.

Pairing

Group of 6+.

Setup

Mostly farm-bred with hormones. Home spawns rare.

What starts it

Hormones; seasonal cues.

Eggs

Hundreds of eggs on farms; hatch 1-2 days.

Raising the fry

Infusoria, then baby brine shrimp.

Common mistakes
  • Too few in the group
  • Bullying
  • Expecting home spawns
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionWestern Ghats – India
Rivers and lakesKrishna River basin
HabitatClear, flowing hill streams
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
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The story of the zebra loach

Described by Narayan Rao in 1920 from the Tunga River in southern India; the name striata means striped. It is listed as Endangered by IUCN.

Indian zoologist C. R. Narayan Rao described the zebra loach in 1920. It comes from hill rivers of India's Western Ghats. Its fine green-and-gold stripes and peaceful nature make it one of the best botiid loaches for community tanks.

First described by C. R. Narayan Rao in 1920.

  • It stays under 10 cm.
  • It eats small snails.
  • It has small spines under its eyes.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources