AquaticRepublic.com - Chromobotia macracanthus (Botiidae) All Fishes

Group of clownloaches
Ripe female (left) and ripe male (right)
Close-up of head adult male
Adult 40cm SL

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].
Synonym(s)	Botia macracanthus, Botia macrocanthus, Cobitis macracanthus
Pronunciation	crow mow bot ee ah. - mak rah kan thus.
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.
Species Information
Size	400mm or 15.7" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	There is no mistaking the orange and black colouration of the clown loach - there's nothing else like them. An interesting note is that the two populations have different coloured pelvic fins. Those from Kalimantan have a black fin, those from Sumatra have deep orange/red.
Sexing	There are no reliable secondary sexual dimorphisms or dichromatisms although some reports describe the tips of the caudal fin being inwardly shaped in adult males. In gravid females sometimes the eggs can be seen and then the individuals can be reliably sexed due the to taller body shape of females.
General Remarks	A large shoaling 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. Smaller young specimens can require intensive care to bring to good health.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Asia: Indonesia (Sumatra and Kalimantan). 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) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2019.
pH	5.0 - 7.0
Temperature	24.0-28.0°C or 75.2-82.4°F (Show species within this range)
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	Not reported in captivity although chance spawning and hormone spawnings are scantly documented.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
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.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There is no wish to keep this species.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 4 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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	Look up C. macracanthus on Fishbase
	Look up C. macracanthus on Encyclopedia of Life
	Look up C. macracanthus on Global Biodiversity Information Facility
	LFS label creator ARN ref:6.49.608.3717
Last Update	2025 Jun 05 03:41 (species record created: 2011 Jul 02 12:17)