All fish / Gastromyzontidae

Diard's sewellia loach

Sewellia diardi

Also known as sewellia diardi, reticulated hillstream loach, diardi hillstream loach, butterfly loach, hillstream loach, sewellia sp. 'diardi', セウェリア・ディアルディ, 蝴蝶异齿爬鳅

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A flattened hillstream loach with broad pectoral and pelvic fins that let it cling to rocks in fast water, marked with a fine net of dark lines over a golden-brown body. Keepers like it for its odd sucker-like shape and the way it grazes over stones and glass.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

18 to 24 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more

Diet

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

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Mekong and coastal drainages of central Vietnam and southern Laos

Breeding

It has been spawned in well-established, strongly flowing tanks where eggs are scattered among gravel and rocks. Fry are tiny and grow slowly on biofilm, so deliberate breeding is uncommon but possible.

Good to know

Needs cool, highly oxygenated water with strong flow and plenty of grown-in rock surfaces; it does poorly in warm, still tanks. Often confused with Sewellia lineolata and other Sewellia species in the trade.