Burmese Border loach

Taxobox
name = Burmese Border loach

---

image_width = 200px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Actinopterygii
ordo = Cypriniformes
familia = Cobitidae
genus = "Botia"
species = "B. kubotai"
binomial = "Botia kubotai"
binomial_authority = Kottelat, 2004

The Burmese Border loach, angelicus loach or polka dot loach, "Botia kubotai", is a recently described species that has quickly become a popular tropical fish for freshwater aquariums. In 2002, fish collectors working in western Thailand began to expand their search into Myanmar (Burma) area from the Three Pagodas Pass Thai-Myanmar border to look for new fish for the aquarium trade. This is one of several species discovered and explains the origin of the fish's common name: Burmese Border Loach. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20050210133906/www.loaches.com/species_pages/botia_sp_myanmar.html Loaches Online - Botia kubotai, retrieved May 2005] (web.archive.org)] Its scientific name came from Katsuma Kubota of an aquarium export company in Thailand who first purchased the catch and sent them out for identification.

Habitat and appearance

". It has yellow body with only black vertical bands. Typically around this size grey dots on the black bands together with a middle horizontal bar joining the bands begin to appear. At about 5 cm, the top and bottom part of the vertical bands start to merge, producing a pattern of big yellow ovals along the body. More grey dots continue to appear as fish grows.

In aquarium

This fish, like most other loach species, should be kept in groups when placed in an aquarium. Suitable water parameters are 25 - 30 °C, pH 6.5 to 6.9, dGH 0 to 8.0. Lots of hiding places should also be provided. Newly purchased, it is a good idea to treat them for internal parasites, a very common problem for wild-caught bottom feeder fishes.

Botia kubotai is omnivorous and will accept most food types offered to freshwater fish including snails, small shrimp, sinking pellets, blood worms, and black worms.

ee also

* List of freshwater aquarium fish species

References

*
*