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Ajime loach

Niwaella delicata

Also known as Cobitis delicata, Delicate loach, Monitor lizard loach

FreshwaterFish
Ajime loach (Niwaella delicata)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
50–72°F (10–22°C)
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
3.7 in (9.5 cm)
Minimum tank
29 gal (110 L)
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Origin
Central Honshu, Japan
Family
Cobitidae

Overview

Treat it like a hillstream fish, not a tropical loach: chiller-cool water in summer, river-tank flow, and stone surfaces carrying algae. Supplement grazing with gel foods and small frozen fare. It fails quietly in warm still tanks, so commit to the cool setup or pass.

In the wild

The ajime loach is a Japanese coldwater fish from clear, fast mountain rivers of central Honshu. It needs genuinely cool water, 10 to 22 degrees Celsius, strong flow and oxygen, and a floor of smooth stones and gravel at pH 6.5 to 7.5.

Good to know

Niwaella delicata reaches about 9.5 centimeters and grazes algae and biofilm from stones, an unusual diet for a cobitid. Long sold under its old name Cobitis delicata, it has been placed in Niwaella for decades.

Did you know

In Japan the ajime is prized enough to be eaten as a mountain delicacy, and aquarists there keep it in chilled river tanks that copy the streams outside.

Tank mates

Ajime loach is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an Ajime loach need?

An Ajime loach needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH do Ajime loach need?

Ajime loach are comfortable at 50–72°F (10–22°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

How big do Ajime loach get?

An adult Ajime loach reaches about 3.7 in (9.5 cm).

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

Freshwater fish · Loaches · Advanced fish · Community fish · Bottom dwellers · Coldwater fish

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