All fish / Barbuccidae

Fire-eyed loach

Barbucca diabolica

Also known as fire eyed loach, fire-eye loach, scooter loach, devil loach, diabolica loach, red eye loach, バルブッカ・ディアボリカ, 火眼鳅

A tiny brown and black mottled loach with striking red eyes and a habit of scooting over the substrate in short hops. It comes from clear, fast, well oxygenated forest streams and is kept for its unusual looks and lively bottom-dwelling behaviour in nano and stream-style tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4 cm

Temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

5.5 to 7

Smallest tank

45 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more

Diet

Carnivore: small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp and sinking micro pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Borneo, Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and southern Thailand

Breeding

Captive spawning has rarely been reported and almost all fish in the trade are wild caught. Little is known about its reproduction, so breeding is considered very difficult.

Good to know

Needs very clean, well oxygenated water with good flow and a soft sandy substrate, and should not be housed with large or boisterous tankmates that outcompete it for food. Wild-caught imports can be delicate at first, so quarantine carefully.