All fish / Gastromyzontidae

Comb-headed Borneo Sucker

Gastromyzon ctenocephalus

Also known as borneo sucker, hillstream loach, gastromyzon loach, stingray pleco, borneo suckermouth, comb-head gastromyzon, ガストロミゾン・クテノケファルス, 婆罗洲异齿鳚鳅, 琵琶鼠鱼

A small, flattened hillstream loach with a sucker-like body and a brownish back covered in pale spots, often edged with a light band on the fins. It clings to smooth rocks in fast, cool water and grazes algae and biofilm, which makes it a popular choice for river-style tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

5 cm

Temperature

20 to 24 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Group of 3 or more in a roomy tank

Diet

Omnivore: grazes biofilm and algae, plus sinking algae wafers, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Northwestern Borneo (Sarawak, Malaysia and Brunei)

Breeding

Rarely bred in aquariums and there are few documented spawnings. Most specimens in the trade are wild-caught.

Good to know

Needs strong flow, high oxygen and cool, very clean water, so it does poorly in warm, still community tanks. Gastromyzon species look very similar and are often sold mislabelled, and males may spar briefly over grazing spots.