With a bright orangish to reddish body, three broad jet black vertical bars with one passing through the eye, and a bright to deep red coloring on the front fins and tail, the Clown Loach is an extremely striking fish. They are most colorful when they are young however, and tend to become a bit less brilliant as a larger fish.

The word macracanthus stands for 'big spine and as this name suggests they have a pre orbital spine that is quite large, making an effective defensive weapon. They have four barbels and have been known to make audible clicking sounds.

For the most part they are a shy bottom dweller, but unlike many loaches the Clown Loach is active during the day. Once they are secure in their environment they can even become quite tame. They like the company of their own species and can also be kept with other fish. They are fairly easy to keep, but are prone to ich