All fish / Gastromyzontidae

Borneo sucker loach

Gastromyzon venustus

Also known as borneo sucker, hillstream loach, borneo hillstream loach, gastromyzon, butterfly loach, sucker loach, ガストロミゾン, 婆罗洲爬岩鳅, 爬岩鳅

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A small, flattened torrent loach from Borneo whose fused paired fins act as a sucker, letting it cling to rocks in fast water. It is brown with pale spots and markings, and keepers enjoy its algae grazing and the small squabbles between group members over territory.

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: grazes biofilm and algae, plus sinking pellets, algae wafers, small frozen foods such as bloodworm and daphnia

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo

Breeding

It has rarely been bred in aquariums, and little is known about how it spawns. Captive breeding is considered difficult and most fish sold are wild caught.

Good to know

Needs cool, very clean, well oxygenated water with strong flow and mature rocks covered in biofilm; it does poorly in warm, still tanks. Several similar Gastromyzon species are sold under the same trade names, so identification is often uncertain.