Vietnamese flower loach

Traccatichthys taeniatus

Also known as Striped flower loach, Vietnamese peppermint loach

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 64–77°F (18–25°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 5 in (12.6 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Northern Vietnam, Laos and southern China
Family: Nemacheilidae

Overview

This is an active, sociable loach that does best as a small group with room to cruise. Keep it over an open floor with rounded stones and roots for cover, in cool, flowing water, alongside other calm current-loving fish. It is mostly peaceful and stays busy near the bottom, and a group will interact all day without real aggression. It is a greedy feeder that takes sinking worms, pellets, frozen bloodworm, and chopped foods. Because it grows to a good size and stays on the move, give it a tank of around 110 liters with steady flow and good oxygen.

In the wild

Traccatichthys taeniatus ranges through streams of northern Vietnam into Laos and southern China, cool to mild flowing water over stone. Keep it on the cool side, 18 to 25 degrees Celsius, with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5, real water movement, and good oxygen. A floor of sand and water-worn cobbles with roots and shaded gaps suits it, and it colours up best in clean, brisk water.

Good to know

This stone loach of the family Nemacheilidae grows to around 12 centimeters, larger than many of its relatives. Its species name, taeniatus, means banded and refers to the dark stripe along its flank, set against red-marked fins. It is the striped counterpart to the tubercled flower loach of southern China. It has not been bred in the aquarium hobby.

Did you know

In the trade this fish is often called the peppermint loach, for the cool green sheen that plays over its flanks above red-tinted fins, a livelier set of colours than most stream loaches wear.

Tank mates

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