Botia/Loach – Blue Botia or Red Tailed Botia Fish

Description

Blue Red-Fin Botia, Botia modesta, Botia rubrippinis, Red-finned Loach, Redtail Botia, Yasuhikotakia modesta

• Native to: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand.
• pH:6.5-7.5
• Hardness: Medium.
• Max dh: 12
• Temp: 78.8ºF to 86ºF(26-30C)
• Colors may vary slightly but skin color is a blue tone.
• Fins are generally deep maroon to slight orange hue depending on feeds offered.

Females generally plumper all over than males.  They reach a maximum size of 10 inches in the wild, and typicvally a max of 5-7″ in aquariums.  Due to its potentially large size and need for the company of its own species, a large tank is required with excellent filtration and regular water-changes.

Y. modesta are excellent diggers that appreciate a sand substrate to protect their delicate barbels.  Lighting should be subdued as they prefer either a heavily planted tank, caves, or lower light.  Feeding: Good quality flake, sinking pellets, algae wafers, chopped earthworms, Bloodworms, Mysis Shrimp, chopped Cocktail Shrimp. Avoid over-feeding as these fish are very greedy.