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Pridi loach

Schistura pridii

Also known as Chao Phraya dwarf loach, Mini dragon loach

FreshwaterFish

Pridi loach (Schistura pridii)

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–77°F
20–25°C
pH
6.5–7.8
Adult size
1.8 in
4.5 cm
Minimum tank
14 gal
54 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Nemacheilidae
Origin
Upper Chao Phraya drainage, northern Thailand

Overview

The Pridi loach is a genuine dwarf bottom loach, one of the few Schistura that suits a smaller tank. Small and civil, it has quietly become a gateway Schistura for keepers who would never take on its larger, more combative cousins. It is a modest step up from beginner fish.

Did you know

The Pridi loach is named for Pridi Banomyong, a Thai statesman and former prime minister.

Caring for the Pridi loach

A small group of Pridi loaches fits a tank of 14 gal (54 L) or more, kept cool and briskly filtered. Lay a floor of gravel and stone, with rocks and boulders, so each fish can hold a tiny territory among the pebbles. They hold those territories without doing real harm, and they show themselves constantly rather than hiding.

Keep the water cool, clean and flowing, at 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.8. Give it good oxygen, since swift, pristine, well-oxygenated water is what it is built for.

Feed fine sinking granules, frozen daphnia and small bloodworm. The Pridi loach is mostly peaceful, so pair it with small, calm coolwater fish.

Breeding it is moderately hard, but it has been done. Thailand's Department of Fisheries raised it after a long captive effort, though yields stayed low.

Good to know

Schistura pridii was described by Chavalit Vidthayanon in 2003, and it belongs to the family Nemacheilidae. Bold dark saddles on a pale body make it one of the prettier small Schistura.

In the wild

The Pridi loach lives in cool, clear limestone hill streams of the upper Chao Phraya drainage in northern Thailand. It is found mostly inside protected forest around Doi Chiang Dao, at roughly a thousand meters.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Pridi loach is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Pridi loach need?

A Pridi loach needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Pridi loach need?

A Pridi loach is comfortable at 68–77°F (20–25°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.8.

What does a Pridi loach eat?

A Pridi loach eats fine sinking granules, frozen daphnia and small bloodworm.

How big does a Pridi loach get?

An adult Pridi loach reaches about 1.8 in (4.5 cm).

How does a Pridi loach breed?

The Pridi loach has been bred, but breeding it is moderately hard. Thailand's Department of Fisheries raised it after a long captive effort, and yields stayed low.

Related species