Types of loaches

11 loaches and algae eaters compared at one scale: adult size, the tank they need, temperature and group size.

Kuhli loach

Scroll sideways to see them all. All drawn at one scale, adult size: = 1 inch. Tap one to open its care page.

Kuhli loach

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

4 in adult
20+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 5.5 to 7
groups of 5+

Chinese algae eater

Semi-aggressive · Bottom · easy care

11 in adult
75+ gal
72–82 °F
pH 6 to 8
alone or pair

Clown loach

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

12 in adult
125+ gal
77–86 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 5+

Dojo loach

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

10 in adult
55+ gal
55–77 °F
pH 6.5 to 8
groups of 3+

Dwarf chain loach

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

2.5 in adult
20+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 6.5 to 7.5
groups of 6+

Flying fox

Semi-aggressive · Bottom · easy care

6 in adult
40+ gal
72–79 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
one per tank

Kubotai loach

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

5.9 in adult
40+ gal
77–86 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 5+

Reticulated hillstream loach

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

3 in adult
20+ gal
68–75 °F
pH 6.5 to 7.5
groups of 3+

Siamese algae eater

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

6 in adult
29+ gal
72–80 °F
pH 6.5 to 7.5
alone or pair

Yoyo loach

Peaceful · Bottom · moderate care

6 in adult
40+ gal
75–82 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 5+

Zebra loach

Peaceful · Bottom · easy care

4 in adult
29+ gal
73–79 °F
pH 6 to 7.5
groups of 5+

Other fish families

Types of plecos Types of aquarium shrimp Types of aquarium snails Types of tetras Types of rasboras and danios Types of barbs Types of livebearers Types of bettas and gouramis Types of cichlids Types of catfish Types of freshwater sharks Types of rainbowfish Types of killifish Types of puffers Types of goldfish Types of oddball fish Types of shrimp, snails, frogs and axolotls All fish

Names, and adult sizes where the article gives one, are checked against Wikipedia; care ranges are common hobby guidance, and each species page says which is which. 11 of these 11 are fish. Photos are real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, credited below; the lineup is our own drawing at one scale.

Photo credits

Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.

Kuhli loach Iidkk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Chinese algae eater Pseudogastromyzon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Clown loach Vlad Butsky, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dojo loach PrinceNimblesoft, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dwarf chain loach Stefan Maurer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Flying fox Mirko Hartig, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
Kubotai loach Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Reticulated hillstream loach Spiketooth, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Siamese algae eater aleander2137, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Yoyo loach Orishas92, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Zebra loach Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons