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  • Chromobotia macracanthus
  • Chromobotia macracanthusGroup of clownloaches
  • Chromobotia macracanthusRipe female (left) and ripe male (right)
  • Chromobotia macracanthus
  • Chromobotia macracanthusClose-up of head adult male
  • Chromobotia macracanthusAdult 40cm SL
Hop to next section All Fishes Data Sheet
Scientific Name Chromobotia macracanthus  (Bleeker, 1852)
Common Names Clown Loach
Prachtschmerle (Germany), Tiger Botia
Type Locality Kuantan River, western Sumatra [Palembang, River Kwanten, western Sumatra, Indonesia].
Etymology Botia is a regional Asian word meaning "warrior" or "soldier"; chromo comes from the Greek "chroma", meaning colour. "Macra" comes from the Greek "makrós" for "big", "canthus" from the Greek "ákantha" for "spine"; the specific epithet thus refers to the large suborbital spine in the members of Botiidae.
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 300mm or 11.8" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Sexing There are no reliable secondary sexual dimorphisms or dichromatisms. In gravid females sometimes the eggs can be seen and then the individuals can be reliably sexed.
General Remarks A large species, that needs big tanks; 120 cm front length with at least 350 liters volume are necessary to care a group of them appropriate. A social species; must be cared in a group of a least six to eigth individual, better more.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Asia: Indonesia (Sumatra and Borneo).
Pacific, Greater Sunda Island Rivers, Borneo Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Pacific, Greater Sunda Island Rivers, Sumatra Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2019.
pH 6.5 - 7.2
Temperature 24.0-26.5°C or 75.2-79.7°F (Show species within this range)
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Feeding As an omnivore species, the clown loach can be feed by almost all available fish food, appropriate to the size of the individuals. User data.
Furniture Cared best with caves of bamboo pipes or similar.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië v. 3 (no. 4), pp 603.
Registered Keepers There are 8 registered keepers, view all "my fish" data.
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There are 4 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Last Update 2024 Mar 14 09:12 (species record created: 2011 Jul 02 12:17)