Rosy loach care guide

Plan a tank with rosy loachesSee all tank mates

Rosy loach quick facts

Tank setup

A group of eight needs at least a 15-gallon (57 L) tank about 2 ft (60 cm) long, because they are busy swimmers. Use sand or fine gravel, dense plants, some floating plants, wood and a few leaves. Only add them to a well-established tank.

How many rosy loaches in a tank?

The smallest common tank that suits rosy loaches is a 15 gallon. Here is roughly how many fit in each size when they are the only fish, based on adult size and waste output. Leave room if you want tank mates.

Water parameters

Keep them at 22–26°C (72–79°F), pH 6.5–7.8 and moderately hard water (GH 5–15). Their home waters are neutral to slightly alkaline. Stable, clean water matters more than exact numbers, so change some water every week.

Best tank mates for rosy loaches

These popular species share rosy loaches' water needs and temperament. See the full list of 88 good matches.

• Cherry shrimp

  3 cm (1.2 in) · 20–27°C (68–81°F)

• Nerite snail

  2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Guppy

  5 cm (2 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• Dwarf gourami

  7.5 cm (3 in) · 24–28°C (75–82°F)

• Neon tetra

  3.5 cm (1.4 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)

• Panda corydoras

  4.5 cm (1.8 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)

• Bristlenose pleco

  12 cm (4.7 in) · 22–26°C (72–79°F)

• Bronze corydoras

  7 cm (2.8 in) · 21–26°C (70–79°F)

Avoid keeping rosy loaches with

• Angelfish: Angelfish can eat rosy loaches: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Common goldfish: Common goldfish can eat rosy loaches: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Fancy goldfish: Fancy goldfish can eat rosy loaches: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Oscar: Oscar can eat rosy loaches: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Bala shark: Bala shark can eat rosy loaches: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Blood parrot cichlid: Blood parrot cichlid can eat rosy loaches: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.

Feeding

In the wild they likely hunt tiny insect larvae, worms and crustaceans. Feed small frozen or live foods like daphnia, baby brine shrimp and cyclops, plus crushed flakes and small sinking pellets. New fish often arrive thin, so feed small meals two or three times a day at first.

Behavior

They are peaceful and bold for their size, and a group spreads through every level of the tank. Small fish leave them alone, but big or pushy fish scare them and steal their food. Good tankmates are other small, calm fish such as celestial pearl danios, chili rasboras and pygmy corydoras.

Breeding

They scatter eggs on plants and moss and give no care to their young. Adults eat the eggs, so move eggs or adults to a separate container. Eggs hatch in about a day at 28°C (82°F), and fry start on infusoria or very fine food, then baby brine shrimp.

Tips from experienced keepers

• Buy at least 8, and more if you can. A bigger group is bolder and acts more naturally.
• Females are bigger, rounder and browner with dark spots. Most shops sell mainly the brighter males.
• Feed fresh arrivals small meals often until they fill out.
• Wait until the tank has run for a few months before adding them.
• They pair well with celestial pearl danios, which come from the same area.

Sources

We checked these references when writing this page. Values are for healthy long-term keeping, not survival limits. Last reviewed 2026-10-13. See our editorial policy.

• seriouslyfish.com
• fishbase.se