Skunk loach

The skunk loach, skunk botia or Hora's loach (Yasuhikotakia morleti; syn. Botia morleti, Botia horae) is a species of botiid loach found in the Mekong River basin in Indochina, as well as the Chao Phraya and Mae Klong basins in Thailand.[1] The maximum size is 10 cm (4 in) and it occurs in water with parameters 26 - 30 °C (79 to 86 °F) temperature, pH 6.0 to 8.0, hardness 5.0 to 12.0. It feeds on live crustaceans, insects, snails and other invertebrates.

Skunk loach
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Botiidae
Genus: Yasuhikotakia
Species:
Y. morleti
Binomial name
Yasuhikotakia morleti
(Tirant, 1885)
Synonyms
  • Botia morleti Tirant, 1885
  • Botia horae Smith, 1931

Despite being seen frequently in the aquarium trade, skunk loach may be an aggressive fish and may not suitable for community aquarium tanks unless kept with several of its own. Smaller fish and bottom feeders in the tank can be attacked or killed. Caution and observation as well as having 3 or more may prevent this.

A two-year observation within an aquarium tank has revealed some misunderstandings about this fish. The observed tank has had 10-15 (currently 15) of the skunk botia or skunk loach. The fish has not shown any aggression towards other fish in the tank. Other fish in the tank include several different Tetra species, including, at one time or another, Bleeding Heart Tetras, Long Fin Serpae Tetra, Black Phantom Tetra, and Black Neon Tetras. There are also Swordtails, Green Corydora Catfish, male and female Betta, and Plecostomus. At no time has the Skunk Loach shown any aggression towards any of the other community fish. Observation has also shown that they tend to stay to their own species and have established a community at peace with each other. In the observation tank small caves were created and they eventually started sharing these caves with others of their kind. The Skunk Botia has yet to be bred in captivity. Skunk Botia require a high protein diet. Live foods are the best. Frozen foods such as Blood Worms, Brine Shrimp, Daphnia are well liked. They do like an occasional flake food.

References
  • Skunk loach on FishBase
  • "Yasuhikotakia morleti". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 7 February 2007.
  • Riehl R, Baensch HA (1996) Aquarium Atlas. Vol 1. pg: 368.
  1. Allen, D.J. (2013). "Yasuhikotakia morleti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2014.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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