Polkadot Loach

[xautomaticflowersx]

Hi there

I've had my trio of polkadots for almost 2 years. When I got them they were really diddy... barely an inch long. They are all now about 2 inches long. I understand that they reach almost 4 inches when fully grown, does anybody have any idea how long it takes? Mine seem to have been 2 inches for ages now! I'm not worried, just curious to know about other people's experiences with these little loaches. They really are lovely. They spend a lot of time during the day resting in the roots of my java fern that's attached to a large piece of wood. Either that or they're darting amongst the plants at the bottom of the tank, sifting the sand.
Thanks!

 

[Rubix]

I haven't found any info about your tanks and their sizes. Do you know the scientific name of your loaches? I would assume they are Botia kubotai but am not positive, loaches.com would be a good reference. If this is the case, your fish have the potential to grow to 6-8 inches if given the proper environment. They will take several years to reach this size, most loaches like these do not grow fast. The "Yoyo loach" (Botia almorhae) is the fastest grower of the Botiine loach.

 

[xautomaticflowersx]

Hi there, thanks for the response. The info about my tank is in my signature... it's a 30"x12"x16", which makes it 94 litres. Yes it's Botia kubotai that I have. All the internet sources I've seen have quoted them as maxing out at 5 inches . I didn't realise that Botia kubotai could reach 8 inches! Since it happens very slowly I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to get them a bigger tank as/if/when it's necessary. Either that or rehome them to somebody via the forum. Thanks again!

 

[Rubix]

Forgive me I thought one thing and typed another. The kubotai won't reach 8 inches, perhaps it's possible in the wild (anything is), but never aquaria. It will likely max out around 4-5 inches as you know, although I've seen one at 6 inches.

 

[xautomaticflowersx]

Phew... I didn't think that sounded right
No worries, hopefully they should be fine in my tank for the duration of their lives then!