Clown loach
Chromobotia macracanthus
intermediate careOverview
The clown loach (Chromobotia macracanthus) is a gorgeous, playful, orange-and-black loach — and a serious long-term commitment. Sold as lively little juveniles, they grow to 20–30 cm and can live 20 years or more, so they need a big tank and a group for their whole long lives. They are social, intelligent and full of character, but they are honestly the wrong fish for a standard community tank. Buy them only if you can house a shoal of large, decades-old fish.
Tank & water
Be realistic: a group of adult clown loaches needs a very large tank — around 450 litres (120 gallons) or more. Keep them warm at 25–30 °C with strong filtration and good oxygenation.
- A group of five or more: they are social and suffer alone.
- Caves and driftwood: they love to squeeze into hiding spots and rest in odd positions.
- Powerful filtration: big active fish mean a big bioload — keep up maintenance.
Feeding
Clown loaches are omnivores with big appetites. Feed sinking pellets and wafers, frozen bloodworm and daphnia, and plenty of vegetables like courgette and de-shelled peas. They famously relish snails, helping control pest snail outbreaks. See the fish food hub and our best fish food picks.
Tankmates
Peaceful toward other fish, clown loaches suit large-tank communities with robust, non-aggressive species — larger barbs, rainbowfish, gouramis and bigger tetras. Their size makes them a poor match for nano fish and shrimp. Within their own kind they are wonderfully social. For a small tank, choose a smaller loach like the kuhli or dwarf chain loach instead.
Frequently asked questions
The clown loach is a beautiful, characterful fish for the right home — a big tank, a group and a long-term outlook. For anything smaller, admire them and pick a loach that actually fits your aquarium.
Clown loach — frequently asked questions
How big do clown loaches get, really?
Much bigger than they look in the shop — 20–30 cm as adults, and they can live 15 to 20 years or more. Those lively 6 cm juveniles grow into large, long-lived fish that need a big tank, so only buy them if you can house them for the long haul.
Do clown loaches need to be in a group?
Absolutely. Clown loaches are highly social and become stressed, shy and prone to illness when kept alone. Keep at least five together — a group is active, playful and far healthier, but it also means a much larger tank.
What size tank does a clown loach need?
A group of adults needs a very large tank — realistically 450 litres (120 gallons) or more. They are not a fish for a standard community tank, however tempting the small juveniles look in the shop.
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