Hillstream loaches are endemic to Southeast Asia and Australia, where most people have never heard of them. Borneo suckers prefer a cooler water temperature, between 20 and 24o. All catfish, except members of Malapteruridae (electric catfish), possess a strong, hollow, bonified leading ray on their dorsal and pectoral fins, through which a stinging protein can be delivered if the fish is irritated. Opens in a new window or tab. A crowded tank will cause the fish to harass each other over food and space. This 2.5-inch (6.4 cm) oddball fish looks like a miniature stingray because of its streamlined shape, flat underside, and horizontal fins that can tightly grip onto any smooth surface. Hillstream loaches are tiny after hatching, and you should cover pumps and filters in the tank to prevent the fry from being sucked into this equipment. Besides aggression, the main thing youll want to look for in a tank mate is temperature preference. Danios and rasbora species are two very solid choices that we can recommend with confidence. You can occasionally give them micro-crustaceans such as Daphnia, Thawed Bloodworms, Insect Larvae or Brine Shrimps. A fast-moving, oxygen-rich environment can be achieved through the use of powerheads. They tend to stay by themselves and are just fine on their own. They suck onto smooth rocks, eroded down by the fast river waters, which allows them to climb upstream. You should feed your hillstream loaches similar foods in the aquarium. During the daytime, you can often find them climbing on the glass in a side-to-side crawl or fluttering their fins on the ground while searching for food. Diet - carnivorous. Hillstream loach is a unique species of loaches that have a few interesting characteristics. There are of course exceptions to this general rule, as some species of catfish occupy the mid to surface water areas of an aquarium, such as the Glass Catfishes and the Upside-down Catfish. Males and females are the same size but females have a rounder body than males when viewed from above. . A favorable female will stay close to the male while the male digs in the substrate, building a nest.If the fish successfully mate, the female will release her eggs into the nest, and the male will fertilize the eggs with a fluid known as milt.The eggs incubate for a couple of weeks. You should view this as more of a cherry on top than something reliable. In your aquarium, they will happily scrape off anything that grows on your fish tank walls, rocks, driftwood, and plant leaves. Most of the initial research into this species says that they are a cool water fish that must be kept in a river manifold tank with fast current and high oxygenation. Copyright 2023, LiveAquaria. Skinny disease is a common bacterial disease that causes a fish to rapidly lose weight, even if the fish appears to be eating normally. The complete lack of water flow can actually even kill them in some situations. This species is unbothered by other species. The family includes about 202 species. The gentle nature of this fish means they really wont want to get in the way of others. With the hillstream loach in particular, your biggest focus should be on their water parameters if you want them to live long and happy lives. They are hardy fish, which means they can be left out of the tank without being harmed by temperature changes or other factors. Aquarium Volume Calculator: How Many Gallons Is Your Tank? The habitat is plain, with minimal vegetation and plenty of big rocks spread evenly throughout a sandy substrate. They look like strange creatures from another planet! Their intricate body shape and pattern make them truly one-of-a-kind. Its quite common to see all of your hillstream loaches attached to the glass of your tank without a care in the world. Being small in size allows hillstream loaches to scavenge foods in crevices between rocks and plants on the riverbed. Join our newsletter today. Ensure the tank has a tight lid to prevent hillstream loaches from scaling the tanks glass walls and escaping.Live plants provide a good hiding place for hillstream loaches and are essential for reducing the waters nitrate content.Some of the most suitable plants for a hillstream loach tank are water wisteria, java moss, dwarf aquarium lily, and crinum.Smooth caves, old pieces of driftwood, and clay ornaments are good hiding places for hillstream loaches to hide.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-4','ezslot_19',120,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-4','ezslot_20',120,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-4-0_1');.leader-4-multi-120{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}LightingMake sure the tank gets enough light to encourage biofilm growth, which hillstream loaches eat. awesome addition great with my other fish this is a little beauty, they are so enjoyable to watch a great addition to my aquarium, Copyright 2023, LiveAquaria. To increase their survival rate, you can also put them in a breeder box to keep them safe from predators. Follow the steps below to breed hillstream loaches: You should get a hillstream loach for your tank if youre looking for a unique fish and if youre prepared to provide the exact tank parameters that this fish needs to thrive. Join our newsletter to receive updates and special offers!! Hillstream loaches look very different from each other. Borneo suckers prefer a cooler water temperature, between 20 and 24o. The Hillstream Loach is a very peaceful community fish that often keeps to itself due to its small size and bottom-dwelling nature. Hillstream loaches not only clean algae off flat surfaces like tank walls but also lacy leaves and uneven rocks. Many of the species are popular for aquaria, species in the genus Sewellia are most commonly sold in the . Hillstream loaches can survive for short periods in temperatures exceeding 75F, as long as the water is properly aerated. They are best known because of their dazzling appearance and lack of aggression. It is critical to maintain high water quality and aeration plus strong water movement to ensure the health of the Reticulated Hillstream Loach. Youll want to keep in mind their natural habitat when planning out their tank setup. These fish will also appreciate some good hiding places. Borneo Suckers (Also known as the Chinese Hillstream Loach) are small, peaceful fish growing to a maximum size of about 6cm. Charlene is able to explore her passion for marine science through writing and is always up for learning more about aquatic life, especially when it comes to maintaining, protecting or conserving creatures. The reticulated hillstream loach is a huge fan of fast-moving water and is normally found in rivers and streams throughout Asia that have strong currents. Care . This small, peaceful fish not only adds a unique element to any aquarium but also serves as an effective natural algae control. Get weekly aquarium blog articles right in your inbox. That may be found near riverbanks where this type of fish lives during its native habitat (the Amazon River basin). If your hillstream loach is missing, try looking in your filter because sometimes they like to crawl inside. All Possible Causes, Dropsy In Fish: Your Guide To Symptoms & Treatment, Hillstream loaches like the water to be a little on the colder side, Clown Loach Care: Tank Size, Food, Lifespan, Tank Mates, Dojo Loach Care 101 (aka Weather Or Pond Loach), Chevron Tang Care Guide: Lifespan, Diet, Mates & Tanks, Clown Tang Care: Diet, Tank Size, Mates and Breeding, Purple Tang 101: Diet, Tank Setup, Lifespan & Mates. If you are looking to add some diversity then snails and shrimp are great options, especially as your tank should already be set up to encourage biofilm growth. The Reticulated Hillstream Loach is a curious fish of extraordinary beauty. Hailing from fast-moving streams of Asia, the Reticulated Hillstream Loach requires an established aquarium that replicates conditions found in these environments. Sadly these Loaches remained largely unknown until their rediscovery in the 1990s. However, they have a very slow growth rate. This surface area allows for fast water circulation and increases oxygen concentration. We prefer to stick with a combination of plants and smooth rocks but dont hesitate to do a little decorating! Feeding the Reticulated Hillstream Loach is not difficult since it will accept most food items small enough to fit in its mouth. You should try to replicate this in your aquarium. Make sure you perform regular water tests with a test kit to ensure that these levels are holding true. In addition to this 25% water changes should be made weekly, plus weekly substrate siphoning. The base water parameters for a reticulated hillstream loach are fairly straightforward. To create a natural habitat for the Tiger Hillstream Loach, aquascape with ample amounts of river rocks of varying size and shape to replicate a tumbled streambed. How many hillstream loaches can be kept together? If you have any additional questions about hillstream loaches we would be very interested in hearing from you. This Loach will be the focus of this article. Since these fish spend so much time scouring the substrate, youll want to go with something soft and sandy. They are relatively small in comparison to other Loaches and will reach 2.5-3 inches as an adult. Providing hiding places for them is of utmost importance. pH- 6.5 - 7.5, Temp - 18 - 27 degrees Celsius. Because it doesnt take long for them to reach their maximum size of about an inch long. Move the fry to your main aquarium when the fry are large enough to be left alone by big fish. It is important to retain all other water parameters and decorations exactly the same as their regular tank. They are characterized by fluffy, white-looking growths on the Loach. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. Charlene is currently a third-year student, studying Marine biology. Their diet consists primarily of other fish, so they make great pets for experienced aquarists who want something different than standard goldfish or tetras. They reach the subadult status, where they are around 2-2.5 inches long, at around 7 months after hatching. A well-balanced diet for a hillstream loach in captivity is a mi of flakes, pellets, algae wafers, frozen bloodworms, and brine shrimp. A planted tank is recommended as they reduce the nitrate content, increase oxygenation and again, provide surface area for biofilms to grow upon. Resources Freshwater Fish Hillstream LoachHillstream Loach Care Guide & Species ProfileFebruary 16, 2022 RobertThe hillstream loach is part of a family of calm, peaceful loachesnative to fast-moving streams and rivers in Asia.Hillstream loaches are small, with flat undersides and horizontal fins that give the fish the appearance of a miniature stingray. Fishkeeping World is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and any other affiliated sites. You dont want to have a lot of algae in your tank, and there will rarely be enough to sustain these fish. The hillstream loachs unique appearance and speedy swimming make this fish fun to watch. The Hillstream loach has a very short lifespan, which is why theyre not long-lived fish. pH Levels: 6.5-7.5. This is when you choose one of these creatures as part of your aquarium decoration! Although they come from tropical waters they need high o2 so are best kept in cooler tanks. Add a pinch of food to the tank per day and decrease this amount the following day if theres leftover food. The Hillstream Loach will need at least a 50 gallon aquarium. JavaScript seems to be disabled in your browser. A female hillstream loach will become round and full-bodied during the breeding season. The tiger hillstream loach has base coloration is a light grayish/yellow and thick black stripes go in random directions all over their body. Most of the time they will stay at the bottom of the tank and only venture higher up when they feel comfortable enough to suck on the glass of the tank. Similarly-shaped, less dominant loaches should be avoided because these fish will be bullied by hillstream loaches. However, it is impossible to set up an appropriate intensity of water flow in a tank smaller than this. The substrate should be sand, fine gravel ornaments, and plants with roots. While factors like water temperature and pH levels are things most aquarists are comfortable with, the current requirements can be a departure from many of the common freshwater fishes out there. However, you shouldnt get a hillstream loach if your tank already contains dominant loaches or the bottom area of your tank is crowded. Originally found in tropical regions of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, hillstream loaches live in shallow riffles, river rapids, and slower-moving stream pools in between. These areas contribute to the total surface area that biofilms can grow on. Their flat body is covered in small scales that are distributed over their body in an even pattern. However, they have a very slow growth rate.