Syncrossus Helodes
Written by on 11th July 2011 and viewed 332 times
Profile - Freshwater Fish - Loaches
| Latin | Syncrossus Helodes |
| Common | Banded Tiger Loach |
| Group | Freshwater Fish |
| Type | Loaches |
| Family | Cobitidae |
| Origin | Asia; the Banded Loach are found in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos |
| Adult Size | Up to 12 inches |
| Lifespan | 10+ years |
| Social | Aggressive |
| Tank level | Minimum tank size of 100 gallons where the Banded Tiger Loach will occupy the lower levels |
| Lighting | Medium |
| dGH | 1-10 |
| pH | 6.0-6.5 |
| Temperature | 24-30 °C (75-86 °F) |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Sexing | Mature females will have a rounder belly shape compared to the males |
| Breeding | There are no detailed reports concerning the breeding habits of the Banded Tiger Loach in the aquarium. |
| Feeding | Not a fussy eater so use a quality flake or sinking foods for the staple diet but this must be varied with regular meals of live or frozen foods. |
| Care | Due to the adult size of these fish the aquarium must be large and keep the water well oxygenated.Use sand for the substrate and add rocks or wood to provide hiding places. If the tank is not large enough for a small group of at least 5 specimens it is best to keep a single specimen or aggression problems will occur. Other tank mates must be capable of handlig themselves or they will fall victim to this fish. |
| Notes | Not often seen in the aquatic stores, the Banded Tiger Loach is best kept by experienced keepers due to the aggressive nature of this fish. |
