All fish / Cyprinidae

Ethelwynn's Garra

Garra ethelwynnae

Also known as ethelwynn's garra, garra ethelwynnae, indian garra, stone lapping minnow

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This is a slim, bottom-dwelling hillstream cyprinid. It is brownish to grey with a darker band along the flank and has a sucking disc under the mouth for grazing on rocks. Enthusiasts keep it to graze algae and biofilm in cool, fast-flowing river-style tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

18 to 25 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.8

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more

Diet

Omnivore: biofilm and algae, sinking pellets and wafers, blanched vegetables, bloodworm and daphnia

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

India (Manipur, Chindwin drainage) and possibly adjacent Myanmar

Breeding

Few if any captive spawnings have been reported. Like related garras it probably scatters eggs over gravel in flowing water, so breeding it at home would be hard.

Good to know

It needs strong flow, plenty of oxygen and smooth rocks to graze. Males can squabble over territory, so give it plenty of space and hiding places. It rarely turns up in the trade and is easily confused with other Garra species.