The underside of a hillstream loach works as a powerful ventral disc, enabling the fish to stick to surfaces in fast-flowing currents and climb vertical surfaces. We prefer to stick with a combination of plants and smooth rocks but dont hesitate to do a little decorating! It has a streamlined shape, smooth body, wing-like pelvic and pectoral fins, and flat underside. These peaceful Loaches thrive in community tanks and will clean up your tank as they go. However, they do have spines along the back of their heads and necks where these organs would be located in other fish species. This fish is hardy enough to live comfortably in all but the hottest parts of your garden pond or aquarium as long as there isnt any aggressive vegetation nearby! Everything Fishkeeping 2022 - All Rights Reserved. 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.Follow the steps below to breed hillstream loaches:Place a healthy male and female hillstream loach in your separate feeding tank.Increase the temperature of the tank to 78F and perform a cool water change to provoke breeding. Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection. Feeding the Reticulated Hillstream Loach is not difficult since it will accept most food items small enough to fit in its mouth. After more than a decade of owning, selling, and breeding them, this article shares our personal experiences on how to successfully keep this amazing species. Make sure the adults get plenty of food, and cover your filter intake with a pre-filter sponge to prevent the fry from getting sucked up. The Chinese hillstream butterfly loach is a species of gastromyzontid loach indigenous to shallow, freshwater streams and rivers in China. This is where the female will put her eggs. Reticulated hillstream loaches also have wing-like pectoral and pelvic fins that they use to move but also secure themselves onto rocks and various surfaces. They are small bottom-dwelling freshwater fish from Asia and there are about 500 species in 37 genera. You must use a bigger tank that is preferably longer in length giving a larger surface area for your loaches. A water temperature of between 68 to 75F is ideal for hillstream loaches. Their native habitat tends to have lots of rocks and is sparser in vegetation. They are best known because of their dazzling appearance and lack of aggression. The Borneo hillstream loach is a unique fish that comes from fast-moving rivers in Southeast Asia. However, hillstream loaches become lonely when theyre housed alone, and a tank with enough space for six or more loaches is ideal.The tank shouldnt house aggressive fish species that are larger than hillstream loaches. Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. A graphic mottled pattern adds further visual interest to defy any conventional resemblance to the classic piscine shape. Hillstream loaches grow to lengths of approximately 2-3 inches. The tiny babies like to eat infusoria, vinegar eels, microworms, live baby brine shrimp, and powdered fry food. The base coloration is a light grayish/yellow and thick black stripes go in random directions all over their body. pH: 7.0-7.8. Care . You should feed your hillstream loaches similar foods in the aquarium.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'fishkeepingworld_com-netboard-1','ezslot_26',137,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-netboard-1-0');Mature aquariums with lots of algae-covered rocks offer a good food source for hillstream loaches.Kale leaves, spinach, raw cucumber slices, zucchini, and blanched lettuce leaves are foods that can be added to the tank during feeding.If there arent enough algae in the tank, you can supplement a hillstream loachs diet with algae wafers.Although hillstream loaches dont need a lot of animal protein, these fish still require meat once or twice per week.Gel fish food, frozen and thawed bloodworms, brine shrimp, marine plankton, and insect larvae are good portion sources for a hillstream loach.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'fishkeepingworld_com-mobile-leaderboard-2','ezslot_22',123,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0');In tanks with a good source of algae, hillstream loaches require minimal food. Stream loaches come in a variety of colors, although their coloring can range from reddish brown to turquoise. Hillstream Loach. This is also why the minimum tank size for a hillstream loach is bigger than you expect. This is because these fish share a common ancestor and have been able to evolve independently from the rest of their group. Male hillstream loaches can be territorial and occasionally engage in belly-to-belly fights. This will give them a very fast flow and enough oxygenation whilst maintaining water purity. Its scientific classification is as follows: Kingdom: Animalia. One of the only downsides is that they are difficult to breed in captivity, though you may wish to take this on as a challenge. They come in many colors and patterns. If you have any additional questions about hillstream loaches we would be very interested in hearing from you. Similarly-shaped, less dominant loaches should be avoided because these fish will be bullied by hillstream loaches.Middle- or top-dwelling fish are the most suitable tank mates for a hillstream loach because the fish wont invade the hillstream loachs space. However, these fish are some of the most popular and widely-available loach species for sale today. In this article we cover everything you need to know, from tank mates, to popular varieties, and much more. Notes from the owner: It's best to use sand or fine gravel as substrate in an aquarium with loaches and other types of bottom-dwellers. A well-balanced diet for a hillstream loach in captivity is a mi of flakes, pellets, algae wafers, frozen bloodworms, and brine shrimp. The hillstream loach is part of a family of calm, peaceful loaches native to fast-moving streams and rivers in Asia. The trick to keeping these fish happy and healthy is to invest in test kits due to their sensitivity to changing water parameters. A hillstream loach tank can look like a lot of different things. Hillstream loaches are well-suited to community tanks with other peaceful fish. Fast Free Shippingon all orders over $79.99. Theyre also inexpensive compared to other types of aquarium fish species. However, even if you are interested in keeping a different variety keep reading. Everything Fishkeepings articles and videos are intended to be used for a general nature only. What fish can live with hillstream loaches? The Saddleback Hillstream Loach (Homaloptera orthogoniata) is a very rare and beautiful species that is native to both Malaysian and Indonesian Borneo.It is known for its multi-colored brown, tan, and red coloration. Weve kept them with goldfish, livebearers, shrimp, snails, tetras, danios, and other schooling fish with no problems. Hillstream loaches arent difficult to breed either. Buy a power filter that replenishes the water at least 15 times per hour to mimic the fast currents of the fishs habitat. Otocinclus: Oto Catfish Care Guide & Species Profile, Yoyo Loach Care Guide: Size, Breeding, and More, The Clown Loach Care Guide: A Playful Bottom Dweller For Community Tanks, Marine Aquarium Societies of North America, Hillstream loach, lizardfish, flossensaugers, Light brown with white and dark brown markings. You will need a 50 gallon tank with a strong pump. Their vibrant colors and algae eating ability have made this loach very popular. Its quite common to see all of your hillstream loaches attached to the glass of your tank without a care in the world. Hillstream loach care is a fairly simple and stress-free process. They are known for their very unique scale pattern which makes them look like the word Yoyo is written all over them. Because hillstream loaches lack scales, these fish are intolerant to even the smallest water changes. Exceeding this can lead to possible scuffles over territory. In their natural habitat, a hillstream loach will spend their time either camped out on a rock or slowly working their way across the bottom looking for food. They are relatively small in comparison to other Loaches and will reach 2.5-3 inches as an adult. They dont want to start trouble with any other critters and prefer to spend their time scavenging for something to eat or latched onto a rock surface (or the glass in your tank). In tanks with a good source of algae, hillstream loaches require minimal food. Make sure the tank gets enough light to encourage biofilm growth, which hillstream loaches eat. The Hillstream Loach is very peaceful and you will rarely find them antagonizing other fish or each other. Leave adult hillstream loaches in the tank if the fry is at least 5 mm long. Keeping them only in a pair can lead to one outcompeting and bullying the subordinate, which is an unhealthy dynamic. After raising the temperature slightly, perform a cool 25% water change. Plus, its unusual body is covered with light-colored spots and dark brown striping patterns. Youll probably spend a good amount of time just staring at them! Use left/right arrows to navigate the slideshow or swipe left/right if using a mobile device, Care Guide for Hillstream Loaches The Oddball Algae Eater, Top 10 Colorful Fish to Brighten Up Your Next Freshwater Aquarium, Care Guide for Silver Tip Tetras Fun and Interactive Schooling Fish, 5 Easy Tips to Save Money in the Fishkeeping Hobby, Top 5 Red Plants to Try in Your Next Planted Aquarium, Care Guide for Pygmy Corydoras The Worlds Tiniest Cory Catfish. The eggs are often deposited out of sight, usually among larger pebbles or rocks. The tiger hillstream loach has base coloration is a light grayish/yellow and thick black stripes go in random directions all over their body. This species is unbothered by other species.Dont house several hillstream loaches together unless theres enough space for the fish to have their own territories.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[468,60],'fishkeepingworld_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_25',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-narrow-sky-2-0');A crowded tank will cause the fish to harass each other over food and space. Also known as Hillstream Loaches, these fish are adapted to living on rocks and boulders in fast flowing mountain streams. Hillstream Loach are members of the family Balitoridae. The Hillstream Loach grows to around 2.5 and 3 inches long. 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. The average hillstream loach size is between 2-3 inches in length. Catfish generally are excellent tankmates for a wide variety of other species of fish. The temperature, pH range, and water hardness should mimic their habitat as closely as possible. Because they dont require large amounts of space or high-maintenance routines. To reduce aggression levels, make sure to provide more decorations or aquarium plants to block line of sight. This build makes it easy for them to resist currents while other fish are forced to use a significant amount of energy to stay in the same place. In addition, this very practical and specialized body shape helps accentuate the gorgeous wing-like finnage of the Butterfly Hillstream Loach. You should view this as more of a cherry on top than something reliable. The patterning spreads to their pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins too. 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. This Loach will be the focus of this article. Borneo suckers prefer a cooler water temperature, between 20 and 24o.
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