Inle loach
Yunnanilus brevis
Also known as Petruichthys brevis, Inle dwarf loach, Lake Inle red tail loach
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 68–79°F
- 20–26°C
- pH
- 7.0–8.2
- Adult size
- 2.6 in
- 6.5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Shoaling
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Nemacheilidae
- Origin
- Inle Lake and nearby waters, Shan Plateau, Myanmar
Overview
The Inle loach is a peaceful lake loach for the middle of a planted, alkaline tank. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.
Did you know
The Inle loach is one of the few loaches on Earth that shoals in open water. It comes from a lineage of bottom-dwellers that moved upstairs.
Caring for the Inle loach
Keep Inle loaches in a group of eight or more, in a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or larger. Treat them like a shoaling midwater fish that happens to be a loach. Furnish the tank with fine plants.
Give them hard, alkaline water at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Feed small foods that they can take on the drift.
The Inle loach is peaceful and pairs naturally with other Inle endemics, such as dwarf danios and the rosy loach's kin. It is strongly dimorphic, as males wear a crisp dark stripe and females a row of blotches. Breeding them is moderately hard.
Good to know
Yunnanilus brevis, also cataloged as Petruichthys brevis, is the rosy loach's big lake-dwelling cousin. It belongs to the family Nemacheilidae.
In the wild
The Inle loach comes from Inle Lake and nearby waters on Myanmar's Shan Plateau. The lake is clear and alkaline, at 900 meters, and the fish swims among weed beds rather than hugging stone.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Inle loach is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Corica loach
Nemacheilus corica
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Blue panchax
Aplocheilus panchax
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Ornate rainbowfish
Rhadinocentrus ornatus
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Julii cory
Hoplisoma julii
Freshwater2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Rex halfbeak
Nomorhamphus rex
Freshwater2.2 in (5.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Bleeding heart tetra
Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Inle loach need?
An Inle loach needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does an Inle loach need?
An Inle loach is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.2.
What does an Inle loach eat?
An Inle loach eats small foods, which it takes on the drift.
How big does an Inle loach get?
An adult Inle loach reaches about 2.6 in (6.5 cm).
Does an Inle loach need a group?
Yes. An Inle loach is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.
How can you tell a male Inle loach from a female?
Males wear a crisp dark stripe, while females carry a row of blotches.
Related species
2 in (5 cm)14 gal (54 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)Mini zebra loach
Yunnanilus pulcherrimus
2 in (5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
1.6 in (4 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)Cross loach
Micronemacheilus cruciatus
1.6 in (4 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
2.6 in (6.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Barito loach
Kapuasia falaris
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1.2 in (3 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Rosy loach
Petruichthys sp. 'rosy'
1.2 in (3 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)
2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Thuttinjet stone loach
Nemacheilus stigmofasciatus
2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
1.8 in (4.5 cm)14 gal (54 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Assam banded loach
Neonoemacheilus assamensis
1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)