Banded tiger loach

Care at a glance

Overview

The banded tiger loach is a large, active botiid that needs a group of at least five or six to spread out its energy and keep squabbling to a minimum. It spends its time on the bottom, poking through sand and rockwork for anything edible, and it will happily crunch pest snails. It is mostly peaceful but boisterous, so pair it with sturdy midwater fish rather than shy or slow tankmates. Feed a varied menu of sinking pellets, frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, and the occasional vegetable, making sure enough reaches the floor. This is a big fish that grows to around 30 cm, so give a group a long tank of about 285 liters or more.

In the wild

This loach lives in the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, moving between flowing river channels and seasonally flooded areas. The water is warm, sitting between 24 and 30 C, and runs from slightly acidic to neutral, roughly pH 6 to 7.5. Recreate that with a soft sand bed, plenty of smooth rocks and driftwood arranged into caves and gaps, and steady flow with good oxygen. Dim lighting and a few shaded retreats help this shy giant settle and feel secure enough to forage in the open.

Good to know

Syncrossus helodes belongs to Botiidae, the true botiid loaches. It is one of the larger members of the family, reaching about 30 cm in length, with a pale body crossed by many dark vertical bars that fade with age. Like other botiids it carries a sharp, erectile spine beneath each eye that flicks out for defense and can catch in a net, so handle it with care. It is an egg-scattering species with no record of spawning in home aquariums, and the fish offered for sale are wild caught or produced on commercial farms.

Did you know

The banded tiger loach is easy to confuse with the green tiger loach, Syncrossus hymenophysa, and the two are often mixed together in shipments. One quick tell is the bars: helodes usually wears more numerous, narrower bands along its flanks than its blue-green cousin.

Related species

• 

  Redfin tiger loach

  Syncrossus berdmorei

  9.4 in (24 cm)50 gal (190 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)

• 

  Green tiger loach

  Syncrossus hymenophysa

  8.3 in (21 cm)40 gal (150 L)77–86°F (25–30°C)

• 

  Chameleon loach

  Syncrossus beauforti

  9.8 in (25 cm)106 gal (400 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Clown loach

  Chromobotia macracanthus

  11.8 in (30 cm)75 gal (285 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)

• 

  Redtail loach

  Yasuhikotakia modesta

  9.8 in (25 cm)75 gal (285 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Polka-Dot Loach

  Botia kubotai

  5.9 in (15 cm)42 gal (160 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)