aggressive botia

[squirrelrabbits]

I have a 10G tank that has been set up for a couple of months. I started it with three platys, then later added a botia, and again recently added another platy and another botia. The new platy didn't survive 48 hours... but the real topic of my post is the interaction between the two botias (my lfs called them "strawberry botia" and "blueberry botia" but I know these are not technically their genus--though they do describe their colors). Anyway, Strawberry (the newer botia) appears to be picking on Blueberry relentlessly, to the point where Blueberry, who likes to be on the bottom of the tank in a cave, now hides out on top of the tank in the corner ... until Strawberry comes and gets him. Long chases then ensue, that appear to involve some serious nipping and biting. I should add that there are several hiding spots in the tank, but Strawberry will not let Blueberry hang out in any of them. This is very puzzling to me, since Strawberry came from a community tank in the LFS, where he was doing his lazy Botia thing---lying in a line together with three or four other Botias (including blueberrys) like sardines.

My question is, is this normal Botia behavior or should I perhaps return strawberry to the LFS? I have begun another (30G) tank but it is not yet cycled so I have nowhere else to put Strawberry here at home.

Thanks in advance.

 

[aloaring]

Botias are usually quite gregarious, but certain strains of botias can be nastier than others , if you could identify which type of botias they are it would help us help you.
A good place to start is here
Loaches.com

 

[squirrelrabbits]

Thanks for your reply.... Blueberry appears to be an Orange-finned Loach (aka Blue Botia) (Botia modesta). Strawberry is exactly the same, but is red instead of blue and I don't see anything like him on the botia site. Like the Blue Botia, the red Botia has orange fins.

I see from the site you'vw named that the Blue Botia is shy but can become aggressive in small numbers. Perhaps there need to be more than two in a tank for them to live peacefully?

 

[aloaring]

To be honest with you if its is botia modesta then you are going to have to give them back to the shop as they grow to big for your tank. They grow up to 12 inches long!! Or its an excuse to get a bigger tank
And if you really want a botia for a 10 gallon tank i recommend the dwarf or chain loach but they are very hard to find!
As for one being a different colour then it has probably been dyed that way which is not good news for the fish theres a pinned article somewhere on here about dyed fish!

 

[LoachLover]

Some botias just have a bad attitude. But part of your problem could be that they are in to small of a tank for the number of fish you have and they are getting stressed.

 

[Raechal]

Blue botias are nasty little buggers. Either get one or get a whole bunch to keep the aggression down. They can reach up to 10 inches so I highly suggest you take them back. I had a blue botia in my 29 gallon and he chased all of the fish to one end of the tank and wouldn't let them get near "his" cave. He would nip at any fins he could get his mouth on. I took him back.

I thought they would be lazy and shy because at the LPS they were all stacked on top of each other in their "sleeping" position on their sides (which is normal behavior for them) I added more caves and more live plants for the other fish to hide but he chased them out of every spot in the tank.

He also jumped up the stream of my filter and got stuck inside the filter quite a few times so if you plan on keeping them watch out and cover any holes in your tank.

 

[Lateral Line]

Something to be aware of if you are not already, is names like "Strawberry xyz" and "Blueberry xyz" are common ways of covering the fact that the fish have been dyed, painted or injected with colourants.

I am not saying that is definitly the case here, but if you were not aware of this cruel practice, may be you should read up on it a bit.

 

[Raechal]

The blueberry botias are naturally blue and orange but I think the strawberry version may be dyed.

 

[fishman 1]

In the local shops were i live they refer to the red and yellow finned botias as what you are possibly describing as "blueberry botias". I have seen even these dyed to produce a bluer body colour so i will have to disagree with you raechel.

Even clown loaches can demonstrate the same amount of agression as all botias can do.

Both red and yellow finned botias can show terrible agression. I once had what is known as a botia eos, this botia although small was pure evil and attacked anything!

 

[Raechal]

In the local shops were i live they refer to the red and yellow finned botias as what you are possibly describing as "blueberry botias". I have seen even these dyed to produce a bluer body colour so i will have to disagree with you raechel.

Even clown loaches can demonstrate the same amount of agression as all botias can do.

Both red and yellow finned botias can show terrible agression. I once had what is known as a botia eos, this botia although small was pure evil and attacked anything!

The botia modesta (blueberry loach or orange finned loach) is not dyed and is naturally blue with orange fins.

 

[fishman 1]

The botia modesta (blueberry loach or orange finned loach) is not dyed and is naturally blue with orange fins.

I know what their colouration is but..... I have seen them dyed to inprove their colour. If you have seen a dyed specimen you would be able to tell instantly as opposed to the natural colouration.

It looks i will have to take my digital camera around the shops with me from now on so I can prove my point.

Incidently they were subject to a scientific name change quite a while ago too. They are no longer classed as "modesta". I think it is now called "rubripinnis".

 

[squirrelrabbits]

Thanks for all your responses. I moved my aggressive guy over to a bigger tank and now everyone seems happy. I really love these loaches, so my plan is to start up a 75 gallon tank and eventually have a school of four or so. In the meantime, your feedback really helped!