All fish / Cyprinidae

Flat-headed Garra

Garra platycephala

Also known as flathead garra, flat-headed stone sucker, garra

No free-to-use photo of this fish yet. Took one yourself? Send it to us and we will credit you.

A slim, flat-headed loach-like cyprinid with a sucking disc under the mouth, used for clinging to rocks in fast hill streams. It is brownish grey with a pale belly and is kept by specialist keepers who enjoy river-style tanks and algae-grazing fish.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

20 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.8

Smallest tank

120 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more

Diet

Omnivore: grazes biofilm and algae, also takes sinking pellets, algae wafers and frozen bloodworm

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

India (Western Ghats streams, Karnataka)

Breeding

Little is recorded about breeding this species in captivity. Like other Garra it is thought to scatter eggs over gravel in flowing water with no parental care, and captive spawning would be uncommon.

Good to know

Rarely seen in the trade and very little species-specific husbandry data exists, so care figures here are based on related Garra from similar habitats. Provide strong flow, high oxygen and a tight lid, and expect some squabbling over grazing spots.