Description
The dwarf chain loach is a small loach of about 6 cm with a pattern of dark spots linked in a chain on a golden background. It is from the Mae Klong basin in western Thailand and the Ataran drainage in Myanmar.
It is gregarious and best in groups of six to ten or more, and it is a jumper: it needs a tight-fitting lid. There are conflicting reports on whether it stays peaceful in the long term.
Behavior
Gregarious and active, with conflicting reports: some aquarists find it peaceful and others say it nips fins or harms sedentary or long-finned fish. A large group spreads the tension.
It lives well with fast, robust mid-water fish, such as danios or small barbs.
Avoid housing it with slow, sedentary or long-finned fish.
Habitat
Ambastaia sidthimunki comes from the Mae Klong and the Ataran, in Thailand and Myanmar, from rivers of moderate flow with sand and stone bottoms.
A long tank with current, sand and hiding places, and a tight-fitting lid.
Details
🌊 Water parameters
🐠 Minimum tank size
Breeding
It is farmed commercially with hormones, and amateur breeders almost never succeed: in the wild it makes seasonal, migratory spawnings.
Diet
An omnivore that forages on the bottom, snails included.
- Staple: sinking pellets or tablets.
- Supplement: frozen mosquito larvae, brine shrimp or tubifex.
It eats small snails.
What about your tank?
Enter your tank's values to see only the compatible species that fit them. Litres apply to fish.
Compatible fish
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 26–30 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 21–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 24–30 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 25–30 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–30 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–8 and 24–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 20–25 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 27–30 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 20–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 25–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 24–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 24–30 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.2 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6–8 and 20–22 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–8 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–8 and 21–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7.5 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 26–30 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–26 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–8 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7.5 and 23–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–8 and 24–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6–7.5 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7.5 and 23–27 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
Compatible invertebrates
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 20–28 °C.
They share water: pH 5.5–6.5 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 20–25 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 24–29 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–30 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 5.8–6.8 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 5.8–6.8 and 20–24 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 20–27 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 27–30 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 20–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–7.5 and 20–26 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 22–28 °C.
They share water: pH 6.5–8 and 20–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7–8 and 20–28 °C.
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They share water: pH 7–8 and 20–28 °C.
Sources
- FishBaseFroese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2026. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
- Seriously FishSeriously Fish. Ambastaia sidthimunki. Ficha de especie; consultada 2026-10.
Water: FishBase gives pH 6-8, 5-19 dH and 26-28 °C; Seriously Fish, pH 5.5-7.5, 1-12 dGH and 20-30 °C. The profile uses the widest range. Size: 5.5 cm SL in FishBase and 6 cm SL in Seriously Fish; the larger is taken. Older records from the Yom river, Laos and Cambodia refer to A. nigrolineata.
Litres per fish and minimum tank height and depth: the profile's own judgement. Seriously Fish gives only the tank base and FishBase gives no tank sizes.
Plan your next aquarium
Is this fish right for you? Plan a suitable aquarium before setting it up.