All fish / Gastromyzontidae

Ocellated Borneo Sucker Loach

Gastromyzon ocellatus

Also known as ocellated hillstream loach, borneo sucker loach, gastromyzon ocellatus, borneo hillstream loach, hillstream loach, butterfly loach, spotted gastromyzon, ガストロミゾン・オセラトゥス, 婆罗洲爬岩鳅

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This is a small, flattened hillstream loach. Its brownish body is covered in pale spots, often with eye-like markings, and it uses its sucker-shaped underside to cling to rocks. Keepers like it for its unusual look and its habit of grazing biofilm from stones in fast, clean, well-oxygenated water.

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 5 or more

Diet

Omnivore: grazes biofilm and algae, plus sinking algae wafers, bloodworm and small live or frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Northern Borneo: Sabah, Malaysia

Breeding

It has been bred in captivity only rarely, and only in long-established, heavily planted or rocky stream tanks. Fry are hard to find and difficult to raise, so most fish sold are probably wild-caught.

Good to know

It needs cool, strongly flowing water with plenty of oxygen and mature rocks covered in biofilm, so it does badly in warm, still tanks. Gastromyzon species look very alike, and traders often mix them up or sell them under other names.