Care
The Chinese Golden Zebra Loach is known from clear, cool streams and rivers, in moderately flowing waters with some aquatic plant life. Here these elongate bottom-dwellers congregate in large shoals, feeding on benthic crustaceans and insects in and amongst the substrate. The natural habitat should be emulated as closely as possible in the home aquarium by employing powerful filtration and using additional powerheads to create strong currents and to oxygenate the water efficiently. Depending on your location, a means of chilling the water may be needed during the warmest parts of the year. As with all botiids, these loaches must only be added to aquariums that are biologically mature. Create a multitude of hiding spots and 'visual barriers' with smooth rounded rocks, cobbles, and pebbles of varying sizes. Ensure that the substrate has no sharp edges as these loaches will enjoy digging around the bottom of the tank in their search for titbits of food, and it is important that nothing damages their delicate sensory barbels. Dim lighting is preferable, and a well-covered tank is a must as these loaches are expert jumpers and can escape through the tiniest of openings. Tankmates could include other temperate botiids, some of the torpedo-shaped nemacheilid loaches,
Crossocheilus spp.,
Garra spp., and some of the medium sized
Devario or barb species. As with all botiids,
S. pulchra fares best with company of its own kind; 3 specimens should be considered the absolute minimum housed together, with 5 or more being much healthier. This will allow these fish to form a complex social hierarchy and behave naturally within a shoal. May also be seen on sale as Golden Zebra Loach or Twelve-Banded Chinese Loach.
Feeding
Sinking catfish pellets, micropellets, sinking granular foods, algae wafers, cucumber, frozen foods such as bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, daphnia etc. Will eat snails.
Breeding
This species has not been bred in the home aquarium.
