Royal Clown Loach

About

A mid-sized loach from China, Leptobotia pellegrini sometimes turns up in the trade under the name 'royal clown loach'. A label also used for the closely related and considerably larger L. elongata, which causes no small amount of confusion at the fish store. The two can be told apart by adult size and by L. pellegrini's slimmer build and noticeably darker head. Like all members of the genus, it carries sharp sub-ocular spines that normally lie flat against the face but flare outward when the fish is stressed. Worth knowing before you reach for a net, since they can snag the mesh and will break skin on larger individuals. This species is sociable and forms complex pecking orders within the group, so buying at least three or four together is genuinely important. A single fish often becomes withdrawn or short-tempered, and a small group with one dominant individual can result in the others being bullied off their food. Tankmates should be robust, active cyprinids and similarly sized loaches work well, but skip anything slow-moving or long-finned, and avoid keeping it with fish small enough to be stressed by its size and energetic movement. Newly imported fish occasionally carry a wasting condition linked to internal flagellates, so keep an eye on body condition in the first few weeks.