Species Profile
Dwarf Chain Loach
Ambastaia sidthimunki
Loachespeaceful
Adult size
2″
Minimum tank
20 gal
Temperature
75–82°F
pH
6–7.5
Schooling
Group of 5+
Water level
bottom
Diet
Sinking pellets, frozen, snails
Notes
Tiny Botia with a striking chain-link pattern. Among the most peaceful and active dwarf loaches, group of 5+ schools tightly. Eats pest snails. Fits in 20gal+ community tanks, far easier than the larger clown or yoyo loaches.
Compatible Tankmates
Best tank mates for Dwarf Chain Loach
Every species below passes the compatibility engine when paired with Dwarf Chain Loachin a suitably sized tank. Verdicts come from the same rules the builder uses — click a card to see that species' own care profile and its tank mates in turn.
Neon Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Cardinal Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Rummynose Tetra
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Harlequin Rasbora
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Fancy Guppy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Endler's Livebearer
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Platy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Molly
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Swordtail
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Male Betta
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Dwarf Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Honey Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Photo: Lerdsuwa / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0