Description
Red-Tailed Zebra Loach – Vibrant, Playful, and Efficient Algae Eater
Introduce a splash of color and excitement to your aquarium with the Red-Tailed Zebra Loach (Botia striata), an eye-catching and energetic species known for its bold zebra-like stripes and bright red tail. Native to the rivers and streams of Southeast Asia, this loach adds a dynamic presence to your tank with its playful behavior and distinctive appearance.
The Red-Tailed Zebra Loach is easily recognizable by its striking black and gold vertical stripes that run across its body, paired with a vibrant red or orange tail that stands out against its patterned body. This loach is not only visually captivating but also a highly active and inquisitive species that loves to explore the aquarium. Whether darting around the tank or foraging for food, the Red-Tailed Zebra Loach keeps the action constant in your aquarium.
Peaceful and social, this loach thrives in groups and is best kept in schools of 3 or more. It is an excellent algae eater, constantly grazing on algae, detritus, and leftover food, helping to maintain a cleaner tank environment. With its lively nature and algae-eating abilities, the Red-Tailed Zebra Loach is a fantastic addition to community tanks, where it gets along well with other peaceful fish.
Key Features:
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Striking Appearance: Bold black and gold zebra stripes with a vibrant red tail make this loach a visual highlight in any aquarium
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Energetic & Playful: Active and inquisitive, the Red-Tailed Zebra Loach adds constant movement and entertainment to your tank
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Peaceful & Social: A friendly species that thrives in groups and gets along well with other non-aggressive fish
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Algae Eater: Helps keep your aquarium clean by consuming algae, detritus, and leftover food
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Adaptable: Can thrive in a wide range of freshwater aquarium setups with proper care
Care Guidelines:
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Tank Size: Minimum 30 gallons for a small group (3 or more)
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Water Temperature: 74–80°F (23–27°C)
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pH Range: 6.5–7.5
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Diet: Omnivorous – feeds on algae, sinking pellets, live or frozen foods (bloodworms, brine shrimp), and plant matter
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Lifespan: 5–7 years with proper care
Tip: The Red-Tailed Zebra Loach loves a well-planted aquarium with plenty of hiding spots, such as caves, rocks, or driftwood, where it can retreat when it feels the need for privacy. A fine substrate is ideal to protect its sensitive barbels, which it uses for foraging along the tank bottom.
With its striking appearance, lively personality, and helpful algae-eating habits, the Red-Tailed Zebra Loach is a wonderful addition to any community tank. It offers both beauty and functionality, creating a cleaner, more vibrant aquarium for you to enjoy.
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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