Forever Fighting Botia Kubotai

[mduros]

Actually I apologize, I am not positive whether these fish are kubotai or histrionica. I go back and forth on it. They were purchased under the name angelicus loach.

I have had these 4 individuals for over a year. I moved them from one 55 gallon tank to another 55 gallon tank 6 months ago, hoping that the different landscape and territories might make these two individuals stop fighting. They have not. I was watching them going at it last night for no less than an hour non-stop. And after consulting with Shari2 about something, I realized I should post my query here.

The pictures below were taken last March. The loaches are bigger now, but still go at it for hours with all color draining from them. Should I just separate them? Or just let them do what they're doing. It looks exhausting, but no one's been injured or gotten sick from it yet. I could add a couple more to this tank if that would help, but I am slightly hesitant since the other two lead peaceful and lazy loach lives, sleeping beneath driftwood all day while the others try to kill each other.

Thanks for your advice.






Take care,
Mary.

[connor]

Hello mduros,

unfortunately I can't tell from your photos whether those are kubotai or histrionica either. The one to the right in the top picture looks very much like botia kubotai to me, though.

Regarding the fighting .. it's normal. These two guys are probably of nearly equal strength&size and they're just checking out who's the boss. Loaches naturally never injure themselves while doing this, so no need to worry, it's normal behaviour. Usually they just figure it out a "little" bit faster.

What you can (and perhaps should) do is adding a few more loaches (of the same kind). If one of those is bigger than your "problem loaches" the fighting will probably be over very quickly. Four loaches is borderline-ok to have, more would be better for them to live out their social traits .. and it's a lot more fun to watch, too!

-Connor

[Rubix]

definitely Botia kubotai, in my opinion. additionally, Petsmart and a handful of other stores carry these fish as Angelicus Loaches/Botia. i think the best way to curb the fighting would be to add a few more of them, i'd perhaps try two more.

[Emma Turner]

Hi Mary,

I would recommend adding a few more of the same species to the group - ideally slightly larger specimens than your current fish - which should stop these ones squabbling over who is going to be the Alpha loach. At the same time as adding new specimens, move some of the decor around slightly, which will break up any established territories and help with the intergration of new fish to the group.

Emma

[piggy4]

Hi Mduros , nice pics ! i'd say Kubotai ,all the advice given is valid , and at odds with my usual behaviour i only have two Kub's , i normally keep largish groups ! my pair [male and female ] get along great ,the only other botia with them is a B.Rostrata that i never got aroud to moving along with the rest of the group , the Rostrata is a bit smaller and tends to get shooed away by the Kub's but never attacked , i do know that Kub's interact with each other a lot , and the behaviour that looks to us like fighting can be quite sustained BUT there never seems to be any real damage so i guess it isnt that bad , SO as the others have advised it might be worth adding more , GOOD LUCK.

[Whitey_MacLeod]

I see the same behaviour with my kubotai, although not very often. There's never any damage done. You've been given very good advice above.

[shari2]

Hi, mary!

yes, adding at least one more, and larger if possible, should probably help. Though there doesn't seem to be any damage done, I know that all that angst can keep a tank from being the peaceful, relaxing thing that most fish tanks are. (unless you're into grrr tanks!)

[mduros]

Thanks for the advice! I'll see what I can do. These were wee babes when I got them and my trusted LFS usually gets them in pretty small when they have them. I might have to look elsewhere. And thanks for the confirmation on identification, too. Not that it matters because I will go on sight in finding them, but what common name do these usually go as? Are they angelicus, or burmese, gold striped, polka dot? Found my receipt for them, the store had them listed as gold striped loach. I hate common names. I wish I could abolish them.
Take care,
Mary.

[mickthefish]

in most parts of britain they are sold as polka dot's usually.

mick

[Jeremy]

I have 6 in a 75 gallon which I have a similar happenings with mine. I have 3 that take turns but 2 of the 3 are almost constant. Although 3 mentioned are the middle 3 of the 6, 2 are larger and 1 smaller. It never goes as far as they get stressed from, it but similar in behavior. So the 2 more as mention above maybe the difference, needed.

[grizzlyone]

Thanks for the advice! I'll see what I can do. These were wee babes when I got them and my trusted LFS usually gets them in pretty small when they have them. I might have to look elsewhere. And thanks for the confirmation on identification, too. Not that it matters because I will go on sight in finding them, but what common name do these usually go as? Are they angelicus, or burmese, gold striped, polka dot? Found my receipt for them, the store had them listed as gold striped loach. I hate common names. I wish I could abolish them.
Take care,
Mary.

They sell these at Petsmart as angelicus for $9.99 and have them pretty regularly. They are usually 2-3 inches long is the store.

Kevin

[Rubix]

i've only seen kubotai for sale in my half of the state at one place (the above post, haha) and under the common name Angelicus Loach/Botia (i cant remember if loach or botia). agreed, i hate common names. when people ask what kind of fish they are i just say "a kind of loach" cause usually no one knows what im talking about anyway (makes me really appreciate you people here) - i do have one buddy who i got into loaches, he keeps clowns and knows what i mean by kubotai. but even the other local fish keepers ive come across know of loaches and not kubotai.. but oh well... enjoy them

[piggy4]

To be honest i dont take much notice of common names ! it can more often than not lead to disapointment ! though having said that is there anyone here using the Emperor Botias latin name ?

[cybermeez]

Keeping these loaches on odd numbered groups of 3 or more will minimize, even eliminate any squabbling.