Scientific Name- Botia dayi
(Hora, 1932)
Common Name- Hora loach
Local Name- Chitkabari baghi
Classification
| Class | Osteichthyes |
| Sub-Class | Actinopterygii |
| Order | Actino forme s |
| Family | Cobitidae |
| Sub family | Botinae |
| Genus | Botia |
| Species | dayi |
Habits and habitat
Botia dayi is found in Gangetic river belt at Fatua (Patna), Pahleja (Hajipur), Buxar, Ara, Rohtas, and Aurangabad districts, also found in Gandak river and canals. It occurs in ponds, tanks, chaurs, and flood plain area filled with plants.
Salient features
Body has light golden yellowish colour. It has irregularly arranged scattered black dots and dark brownish bars. The fish enclose yellowish spots of diffirent sizes. Adult seems to retain some of the black dots which is quite remarkable as they age. Most of the fishes loose their colouration as they grow larger and older. Caudal fin has 3-4 rows of black bands, also reticulated with dark brown band on the head. Sand and dirt are taken in mouth and rapidly expelled to the gills. It is omnivorous and fast mover. It feeds on plankton, insects, plant matters, crustaceans and molluscans. These move in groups. It attains a length of 12cm.
source-
- central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore
