Burmese Loach (Botia histrionica)

Choose a Burmese loach for a large, lively loach group

The Burmese Loach (Botia histrionica) is a banded loach from the family Botiidae, native to Myanmar and neighbouring parts of India and China. Seriously Fish lists its trade names as Burmese loach, golden zebra loach, Burmese zebra loach and Asian loach. Young fish are golden to yellowish with five broad, dark bars on each flank. It grows to about 13 cm (Seriously Fish gives 130 mm standard length and FishBase 13 cm total length) and is an active, sociable bottom-dweller that must be kept in a group in a large aquarium.

It is recorded from Manipur in India, the upper Ayeyarwady basin in Yunnan, China, and much of Myanmar, including the Ayeyarwady, Sittaung, Salween and Ataran drainages. FishBase describes its habitat as clear mountain streams. Seriously Fish notes that its wild habitat has not been described in detail, but that it occurs alongside the Kubotai loach in the Ataran River, where images suggest slow-flowing, forest-shaded headwaters with clear, well-oxygenated water, sand and rock, driftwood and leaf litter. FishBase rates the species Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identify it among the banded botia

Adult patterns vary between river populations: Seriously Fish describes Ayeyarwady fish that usually stay yellowish with solid bars, and paler Salween fish whose bars break into pale-spotted sections. It also notes that hybrids are on the market, including an apparent cross with the clown loach, which is one reason colour can differ between imports. Compare our Kubotai Loach, YoYo Loach and Zebra Loach (Botia striata), or browse all our Botia loaches and the wider loaches and algae eaters section.

Know exactly what you receive

• One live Burmese Loach per purchase, supplied as a young fish in the standard size available. It is not yet fully grown.
• Sex is not selected; the differences only show in mature fish, as explained below.
• Pattern and colour vary between fish and change with age. The photographs show the species, not the individual fish you will receive.

Plan a group of at least five

Seriously Fish recommends at least five or six Burmese loaches, and preferably ten or more, and warns that fish kept singly or in pairs or trios can become withdrawn or aggressive, or stop feeding. OATA's loach guidance also says to keep at least five, and that more is better. One purchase is one fish, so choose your quantity with the adult group in mind, and read our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee terms before you order.

Plan a 120 cm aquarium

Seriously Fish gives a minimum base of 120 × 45 cm, about 243 litres, for this species, and rates it moderately demanding because it needs a well-established tank with stable water. That space is for a group of fish that each reach about 13 cm and spend the day patrolling the floor and lower water. OATA adds that bigger tanks keep temperature and water quality more stable. Our stocking calculator helps you check the full adult population, and our first tropical aquarium guide explains how to set up and mature a tank before fish arrive.

Use a three-step space check

1. Measure the base: confirm at least 120 × 45 cm.
2. Count complete groups: include five or six Burmese loaches, ideally more, and the full group of every other species.
3. Plan for adult bodies: use about 13 cm per loach, whatever size you receive.

Seriously Fish suggests a filter turnover of about 970–1,215 litres per hour for a tank of this size, which works out at roughly four to five times the volume of a 243-litre tank every hour. Fit a heater with a thermostat and a secure lid.

Build a river-style layout with caves

Recreate a clear, well-oxygenated stream bed. OATA recommends fine gravel or, ideally, sand to protect loaches' sensitive skin and barbels. Add smooth rocks, driftwood and some leaf litter, as Seriously Fish describes for its habitat, and build caves and crevices so every fish has somewhere to retreat during squabbles. Leave open sand at the front where the group can forage and you can count them at feeding time.

Divide the footprint by function

Seriously Fish notes that Burmese loaches will eat soft-leaved aquatic plants, so choose tough species fixed to wood or rock rather than soft stem plants rooted in the sand.

Match the water values

Our sources give slightly different ranges, so the table shows both and a range where they overlap. Stable, clean, well-oxygenated water matters more than hitting one exact number.

UK tap water ranges from very soft to very hard, so test yours and treat it with a conditioner that removes chlorine and chloramine. Our water matcher compares your readings with these ranges.

Separate habitat values from waste readings

These limits come from OATA's loach guidance. A group of 13 cm loaches produces a lot of waste, so test weekly and after every addition of fish.

Filter strongly and keep a weekly routine

Unlike shy sand-dwelling loaches, Burmese loaches come from clear, oxygen-rich water, so give the tank strong filtration and good surface movement. Keep the filter mature by cleaning it gently, and add fish gradually so the bacteria can keep up.

Follow a weekly maintenance sequence

1. Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and hardness before you change any water.
2. Change about 25% of the water at least once a week, as OATA recommends.
3. Treat the new water with tap-water conditioner and bring it to tank temperature.
4. Siphon waste from the sand, working round the caves.
5. Rinse filter media only in the old tank water, never under the tap.
6. Count the loaches at feeding time and check that every fish is eating.

Feed a meaty, varied diet

Seriously Fish describes the Burmese loach as chiefly carnivorous, feeding in nature on molluscs, insects, worms and other invertebrates, though it will also eat soft-leaved plants. It suggests good dried foods alongside bloodworm, Tubifex, Artemia, fresh fruit and vegetables, and home-made foods bound with gelatine. Our frozen red mosquito larvae and sinking bottom-fish granules make a good base.

Seriously Fish also points out that it is not a dedicated snail-eater, so do not rely on a group to clear a snail infestation. OATA advises feeding loaches once a day and giving only what they finish within a few minutes, so leftovers do not foul the water.

Build one measured meal

• Use sinking food: granules, tablets or thawed frozen food that reaches the bottom quickly.
• Spread it out: feed in several places so lower-ranking fish are not pushed away.
• Watch for a few minutes: check that every loach is eating, not just the boldest.
• Remove leftovers: siphon anything left after a few minutes.

Introduce the group together

Have the aquarium mature, with ammonia and nitrite at zero and the temperature, pH and hardness within range, before the fish arrive. Use OATA's floating-bag method: lights off, float the bag for about 10 minutes, add small amounts of tank water over at least 30 minutes, and release the fish with as little bag water as possible. Add the whole group at once, so the loaches sort out their order together rather than one newcomer facing an established group.

Use a first-week checkpoint plan

Expect some chasing and colour changes in the first days while the group settles. A fish that is constantly harried, cannot reach food or stays pale for days needs attention.

Read normal Burmese loach behaviour

Botiid loaches have a rich set of behaviours that can look alarming if you have not kept them before. Seriously Fish records each of the behaviours below in aquarium Burmese loaches.

Pair each behaviour with a response

Seriously Fish also notes that Burmese loaches have sharp, movable spines under each eye, which they raise when stressed. These spines can tangle in nets and injure careless hands, so move the fish in a container where you can.

Choose robust tank mates

Seriously Fish describes the Burmese loach as not especially aggressive, but advises keeping it away from much smaller fish and from slow, long-finned fish such as bettas, guppies and many cichlids, whose fins may be nipped. Good companions are peaceful open-water cyprinids, other botiid loaches, some cobitid and nemacheilid loaches, Epalzeorhynchos, Crossocheilus, Garra and many catfish. From our range, the Siamese Algae Eater and the Rainbow Shark fit that list.

Screen every companion the same way

Seriously Fish lists the Clown Loach as a companion only for very large tanks, because it grows far bigger. Our tank mates tool helps you check a mix, and our loaches and oddballs and bottom-dwelling fish collections show more floor-level species.

Handle the spines and watch health

OATA notes that loaches have a spine just under each eye and advises double-bagging them for transport so the spines cannot puncture the bag. It also notes that loaches have reduced or absent scales and may not tolerate some medications, so read labels carefully and test the water before treating.

Pair each sign with an action

These warning signs come from OATA's loach guidance. Record your water readings, the signs you see and any recent changes before deciding what to do.

Recognise the sexes and breeding notes

Seriously Fish says mature females are fuller-bodied with a rounded snout, while males have an elongated snout and noticeably fleshier lips. The species is not known to have been bred in the hobby; some commercial stock is produced using hormones.

Answer Burmese loach buying questions

How big does a Burmese loach get?

Seriously Fish gives a maximum of 130 mm standard length and FishBase 13 cm total length, so plan for an active loach of about 13 cm.

How many Burmese loaches should I keep?

At least five or six, and preferably ten or more. Seriously Fish warns that single fish, pairs and trios can become withdrawn or aggressive, or stop feeding.

What size tank does a Burmese loach need?

Seriously Fish gives a minimum base of 120 × 45 cm, about 243 litres, for a group. It is not a fish for a small community tank.

Will Burmese loaches eat my snails?

They may eat some, because molluscs are part of their natural diet, but Seriously Fish says they are not dedicated snail-eaters and should not be relied on to clear a snail infestation.

Are Burmese loaches aggressive?

Not especially. They squabble among themselves to sort out rank, and they may nip the fins of slow, long-finned fish such as bettas and guppies, so choose robust, active tank mates.

Can Burmese loaches live with clown loaches?

Seriously Fish lists other botiid loaches as suitable companions, but clown loaches only in very large tanks, because they grow far bigger. OATA gives over 6 ft as the tank length for a fully grown clown loach.

What water does a Burmese loach need?

Seriously Fish gives 22–28°C, pH 6.0–7.5 and 2–10 dGH. OATA’s general loach range is 22–27°C, pH 6.5–8.0 and 4–12°dH. Clean, well-oxygenated water matters more than an exact figure.

How can I tell a Burmese loach from a Kubotai loach?

Young Burmese loaches have five solid dark bars that stay solid longer, the central bar usually with a pale spot at the top, and usually one dark stripe on the pelvic fins. Kubotai loaches split their bars early and usually have two pelvic stripes.

Consult the care references

• Seriously Fish: Botia histrionica — names, distribution, habitat, size, aquarium size, water values, filtration, behaviour, tank mates, diet, sex differences, breeding, hybrids and identification.
• FishBase: Botia histrionica — maximum length, distribution, habitat and IUCN status.
• OATA: How to look after loaches — UK group guidance on water values, tank size, group size, substrate, feeding, compatibility, maintenance, handling and health.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy — current dispatch and Live Arrival Guarantee terms.