The article in brief
The clown botia is a fascinating fish that requires specific conditions to thrive in the aquarium. Here are the key points:
- Group life : Minimum 5-6 individuals for a harmonious cohabitation
- Living space : Aquarium of at least 500-800 litres with a frontage of 150-200 cm
- Behaviour : Alternating between calm and agitation, snail and prawn hunter
- Health : Vulnerable to white spot disease, requires regular monitoring
- Environment : Large aquarium with hiding places, quality water, varied diet, compatible companions
Ah, the clown botia! An interesting fish that I was lucky enough to observe at close quarters during my years in the pet shop. Let me share with you my experience and my advice for successfully cohabiting with this little aquatic clown. Believe me, with the right tips, you'll achieve perfect harmony in your aquarium!
The botia clown: a gregarious fish with specific needs
Le botia clownor Chromobotia macracanthus to purists, is a fish that doesn't go unnoticed. With its bright orange coat adorned with three black stripes, it looks like a real clown of the sea! But make no mistake, this little prankster has very specific requirements for its well-being.
First thing to know: the botia clown is a gregarious fish. This means that they need to live in a group in order to thrive. I've often seen customers leave with just one specimen, and I can tell you that's a mistake! For a harmonious cohabitationA minimum of 5 to 6 individuals is required.
Be careful, though: a group needs a lot of space! An aquarium of at least 500 to 800 litres with a frontage of 150 to 200 cm is needed to house a small troop of clown botias. I remember one customer who underestimated the adult size of these fish (30 to 40 cm, no less!) and found himself in a lot of trouble a few months later...
Unpredictable behaviour
The botia clown has a touch of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde about it. It can be calm for hours on end, then suddenly lash out as if its fins were on fire! That's what makes it so charming, but also what sometimes makes it difficult to live with other species.
A formidable snail hunter
If you've got snails or prawns in your aquarium, I've got some bad news for you: the botia clown will have a field day with them! It's an excellent way of controlling the snail population naturally, but if you want to keep your aquarium shrimpswe'll have to make a choice.
A fish sensitive to disease
Unfortunately, the clown botia is particularly vulnerable to white spot disease (Ich). I have seen many aquariums decimated by this infection. Regular monitoring and good aquarium maintenance are essential to prevent this problem.
Creating an environment conducive to cohabitation
Here are a few tips I've refined over the years to help your botia clown flourish and cohabit harmoniously with its fellow creatures and other species:
- Choose a large aquarium with plenty of hiding places
- Maintain water quality with stable parameters
- Vary its diet to satisfy its voracious appetite
- Choose compatible bin mates
Let's talk about these famous tankmates. The botia clown generally gets on well with other Asian species such as Brevibora dorsiocellata, Rasbora einthovenii and the Betta. I've even managed to cohabit successfully with ancistrus fishthese useful little aquarium cleaners!
The importance of décor
The botia clown is a bottom-dwelling fish that loves to scour the substrate in search of food. A fine sandy bottom with a few flat rocks will do the trick. One day, I even saw a botia clown crawl into a hollowed-out coconut that I had placed in the aquarium - it was hilarious!
The question of lighting
Although the botia clown is not particularly sensitive to light, too much light can stress it. I recommend moderate lighting, which will also highlight its beautiful colours.
The challenge of reproduction
I have to tell you that breeding clown botia in an aquarium is a real headache. In my 15-year career, I have never managed to obtain a viable clutch. If you succeed, you deserve a gold medal for aquaristics!
Here is a small table summarising the ideal parameters for the botia clown:
| Parameter | Recommended value |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 24-28°C |
| pH | 6,5-7,5 |
| Hardness | 5-15°dGH |
| Minimum volume | 500 litres |
The challenges of living in a community
Keeping a group of clown botias is no easy task, I can assure you! These fish have a strong character and can sometimes get a bit rowdy with each other. Don't worry if you see them chasing or pushing each other from time to time, it's their way of establishing a hierarchy.
However, you must remain vigilant. If the bickering becomes too frequent or violent, it may be a sign that your aquarium is too small or lacking in hiding places. I once had to separate two botias that were engaged in a veritable war of buttons... What an adventure!
And don't forget that the clown botia, despite its jovial appearance, can be a real bully for smaller or more timid species. So avoid letting them live with shy fish such as neons or rasboras. Believe me, I've seen botias turn a group of neons into a synchronised swimming team, because they were chasing them so hard!
At the end of the day cohabitation of the botia clown requires patience, observation and a bit of humour. But when you get there, what a spectacle! Watching these magnificent fish evolve in harmony in a large, well-appointed aquarium is truly enchanting. And who knows, maybe you'll succeed where I failed: in breeding them in captivity. If so, don't forget your old friend in the pet shop!
External sources :
English 
French