Description
Polka Dot Botia – Charming, Playful, and Distinctive Loach for Your Aquarium
Add a touch of whimsy and charm to your aquarium with the Polka Dot Botia (Botia kubotai), a delightful loach known for its striking appearance and lively, inquisitive nature. Named for the distinctive white spots that cover its dark body, this vibrant species will bring an eye-catching contrast to your tank, along with plenty of character and movement.
The Polka Dot Botia features a beautiful pattern of white or yellowish spots on its black body, giving it a polka-dotted look that is both attractive and unique. These loaches are naturally curious and energetic, constantly exploring their environment, foraging for food, and interacting with other fish. While they can be playful, they are also peaceful, making them great additions to a community tank when housed with similarly peaceful species.
As bottom-dwellers, Polka Dot Botia will help keep your aquarium clean by scavenging leftover food, detritus, and algae from the substrate. They are social creatures that enjoy being in small groups, and they thrive in aquariums that provide plenty of hiding spots and structures to explore.
Key Features:
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Striking Appearance: Beautiful polka-dot pattern on a dark body, making the Polka Dot Botia a visual standout in your aquarium
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Energetic & Playful: These loaches are lively and constantly moving, adding dynamic behavior to your tank
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Peaceful & Social: Prefers being in small groups (3 or more) and gets along well with other non-aggressive fish
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Natural Scavenger: Helps maintain a clean tank by consuming leftover food and detritus, making it a beneficial addition to your aquarium’s ecosystem
Care Guidelines:
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Tank Size: Minimum 30 gallons for a small group (3 or more)
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Water Temperature: 74–82°F (23–28°C)
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pH Range: 6.5–7.5
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Diet: Omnivorous – enjoys sinking pellets, live or frozen foods (bloodworms, brine shrimp), and plant matter like algae wafers
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Lifespan: 5–8 years with proper care
Tip: Provide plenty of hiding places, such as rocks, plants, and driftwood, as Polka Dot Botia loves to explore and seek shelter. A soft, sandy substrate is ideal to protect their sensitive barbels while they scavenge the tank floor. They also appreciate a tank with plenty of swimming space to showcase their playful behavior.
The Polka Dot Botia is a wonderful addition to any freshwater aquarium, offering both beauty and personality. With its unique appearance, social nature, and cleaning abilities, this loach will quickly become a favorite in your tank.
Click & Collect
Livestock will only be bagged once you arrive, or if you contact us in advance to request it ready beforehand.
Local Delivery
Order anything from our in-store range and have it delivered right to you.
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Minimum spend: £50
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Delivery up to 10 miles: £10
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Delivery up to 25 miles: £20
Distances are measured “as the crow flies”, not by road.
Once your order is placed, we’ll be in touch to arrange a suitable delivery date and time.
Please note, delivery may take a little longer as we often group orders together to build an efficient delivery run.
Important: If you’re ordering a large aquarium, please ensure someone is available to help unload the van on arrival.
Dry Goods Delivery
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DPD Next Day: 1 working day (order before 12 noon)
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DX Next Day (Heavy Items & Small Aquariums): 1 working day (order before 12 noon)
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Express Pallet: 1–3 working days
If you'd like to add more items to an existing order that hasn't yet been dispatched, please place a Click & Collect order and leave a note asking us to combine the orders.
Please note: We currently only dispatch parcels Wednesday to Friday.
Pre-Order
Want the full details? Check out our Terms & Conditions.
Livestock Delivery
Thursday Delivery – £24
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Dispatched Wednesday afternoon
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Delivered Thursday before 1pm
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Order by Wednesday 12 noon
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Minimum spend: £50
Friday Delivery – £24
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Dispatched Thursday afternoon
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Delivered Friday before 1pm
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Order by Thursday 12 noon
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Minimum spend: £50
Saturday Delivery – £29
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Dispatched Friday afternoon
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Delivered Saturday before 1pm
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Order by Friday 12 noon
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Minimum spend: £50
📦 Want to Add to an Existing Order?
No problem! Just place a Click & Collect order and leave a note asking us to link it with your original one (as long as it hasn’t been dispatched yet).
🛒 Dry Goods Now Included!
You can now include dry goods in your livestock delivery – perfect for topping up supplies in one go.
❄️ Please note: We can’t send frozen food with livestock – please order frozen items separately.
⚠️ Delivery Exclusions
Unfortunately, we’re unable to deliver livestock to the following postcodes:
Scotland & Isles:
AB30–AB56, DD8–DD10, DG3–DG9, DG12–DG14, FK17–FK21, KA18–KA19, KA26–KA30, PA20–PA38, PA80, PH3–PH40
Cornwall Isles: TR21–TR25
All of the following postcodes are excluded:
BT, HS, IM, IV, JE, KW
Plus Channel Islands and Shetland Islands
Payment & Security
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