If the water is seesawing between both ends of the optimal spectrum that can still cause problems for your Zebra Loaches. Remember, consistency and stability very important too. While these are hardy fish that afford you a bit of leeway as an owner, you should still take this very seriously. It’s important to make sure the water parameters in their aquarium are within the recommended ranges below. It will allow you to keep additional fish, set up a more elaborate habitat, and maximize the happiness of the species in your tank. We’ll cover that a bit more later on, but it’s worth pointing out here as well.Īuthor Note: Of course, more room is always better. These fish need to be kept in a group of at least 5 in order to thrive and stay peaceful among each other. While you might think that seems a bit large for a relatively small fish, there’s a good reason for this. The recommended tank size for Zebra Loaches is at least 30 gallons. Stick to the recommendations below, and your Zebra Loach should live a long and happy life. While they’re less sensitive to suboptimal conditions than some other freshwater species, it’s still important to provide them with the best possible care! Their hardy and low-maintenance nature is part of what makes them such a popular choice in the aquarium community.īut don’t fall for the trap of assuming they can handle whatever conditions you throw their way. Proper Zebra Loach care can be managed by a beginner without much difficulty. While these definitely aren’t large fish, many new aquarists assume they’re smaller than they actually are! Zebra Loach Care Their size is impacted by a number of factors like genetics, breeding practices, and care during their growing years.Īuthor Note: It’s important to remember their size when planning out their tank and habitat. The average Zebra Loach Size is around 3-4 inches in length when fully grown. The pectoral and ventral fins are rather wide with a decent surface area. They have a half-fan dorsal fin and a forked caudal fin. Their body is the thickest right before the dorsal fin and tapers down quickly at the end of the fin. They have a head and mouth that’s angled downward. When it comes to their body shape, they’re clearly from the classic “loach” mold. They tend to be thicker on the caudal and pectoral fins, and thinner on the dorsal fin. Since their fins are semi-translucent, the stripes you see are black. Their fins have some stripes on them as well, but these are different. Most of these stripes are the same width, but there are some thin ones in there as well. The colors are usually a mix of dark, light, and yellowish-brown. These stripes angle downward a bit near the head and start to reverse angle behind the eyes. ![]() They have quite a unique pattern that we absolutely love!įrom the front of their head to the base of their caudal fin, these fish have a series of alternating stripes that circle their body vertically. The appearance of the Zebra Loach is definitely one of the main reasons aquarists are so attracted to these fish in the first place. This means you should have these fish for quite a while! This allows you to build a bond with them, something that many people outside of the fishkeeping space don’t realize is possible! Appearance This can vary a bit based on a number of factors (including genetics), but most specimens end up in this range. They won’t mind! LifespanĪ typical Zebra Loach lifespan is around 10-15 years when given great care. You can even ask for pictures of their setup if you want to be 100% sure. Start by approaching your trusted pet stores and breeder and asking them about their practices when it comes to Zebra Loaches. If you don’t do this you’re contributing to the decline of their population in the wild.Īuthor Note: This might seem like a hassle, but it’s really not. Be responsible and make sure that you’re getting them from a seller that has bred these fish in captivity. Currently, the Zebra Loach is considered an endangered species.īecause of this, aquarists are urged to be smart when looking to purchase one. This also has led to a significant decrease in their population. Due to rapid habitat loss caused by deforestation and pollution, they have been forced into a much smaller region. ![]() ![]() While this species used to be prevalent in many different spaces, that’s changed in recent years. They prefer to live in streams and rivers that don’t move very fast since they spend extended periods of time in one place. The Zebra Loach ( Botia striata) is a freshwater bottom feeder fish that can be found primarily in western India.
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