All fish / Gastromyzontidae

Gastromyzon megalepis

Gastromyzon megalepis

Also known as borneo sucker, borneo hillstream loach, stone loach, hillstream loach, butterfly loach, gastromyzon, ガストロミゾン, 婆罗洲吸盘鱼

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This is a small, flattened hillstream loach from Borneo. It has a sucker-like body and brown mottled markings, and it clings to rocks in fast water. Keepers like it for its odd shape and because it grazes algae and biofilm off stones.

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 4 or more

Diet

Omnivore: biofilm and algae, plus sinking algae wafers, frozen bloodworm and daphnia

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Borneo: Sarawak (Malaysia) and adjacent Kalimantan (Indonesia)

Breeding

It has seldom been bred in aquariums, and most fish on sale are caught in the wild. Spawning is thought to happen among gravel in clean, fast-flowing water.

Good to know

It needs cool water with lots of oxygen, strong flow and mature surfaces covered in biofilm, so do not add it to a new tank. Many similar Gastromyzon species are sold under the same trade names, and males may squabble over territory.