Hillstream Loaches on MFK??
- Thread starter aclockworkorange
- Start date
I have lineolatas. I know that everyone says that they should be in fast flowing water...but mine are doing fine in a regular tank along with my clown loaches. They are nice and happy.
Cool fish in the pics, thanks for posting.
I dig on your 20 gallon setup, Clockwork, it would look nice on a larger scale. I think White Clouds would be the perfect match for that tank and the Hillstream loaches as well.
I dig on your 20 gallon setup, Clockwork, it would look nice on a larger scale. I think White Clouds would be the perfect match for that tank and the Hillstream loaches as well.
Bonzo;4479358; said:
Never thought of it like that... I think of them as a mix of the personality quirks of a loach with the weird appeal of a pleco. Maybe it's because I can get get sting rays any time I want!
I had forgotten I already updated the last hillstream loach article in a sticky thread here. Here it is. The photo shows my own hillstream loach.
Hillstream Loaches (covering all species available)
Scientific Name: Beaufortia kweichowensis
Common name: Hillstream loach, Borneo sucker, China sucker, Butterfly pleco, Stingray pleco, Hong Kong pleco
Care Level: easy
Size: 2.5 inches
pH range: 6.5-7.5
Temperature range: 18-24 degrees Celsius (68-76 degrees Fahrenheit)
Origin: Borneo, Sumatra
Temperament: peaceful
Compatible Tankmates:
Tankmates should be able to tolerate very low temperatures and fast flowing currents. White cloud mountain minnows and several species of danios and devarios make suitable tankmates along with peaceful Schistura species and other hillstream loach species.
Diet:
Diet consists mostly of algae and aufwuches which harbor the algae. This, in short, makes us think hillstream loaches are indeed omnivores. They have been fed so far with bloodworms, mosquito larva, shrimps and plenty other foods. Small artificial foods will also be appreciated by this fish.
Tip: In order to ensure the continuous supply of algae, the use of sunlight, fertilizers/fish food and dechlorinated tap water in a bucket/spare aquarium (not the main river aquarium!) are very important and will be sufficient enough to grow algae in a few days. Simply place a few rocks inside the bucket of water. Put a pinch of fish food or dose it with fertilizer designed for aquarium plants. Once you are done with the above, place the bucket under direct sunlight. Wait patiently for a few days and you should expect green algal growth among the rocks. Alternately use the rocks by placing a few ones at a time in the main aquarium for the hillstream loaches to feed. Return the rocks to the bucket and use the others thus ensuring you will not run out of the supply of algae which is very important to the well being of the fish.
Tank Size for Adult: 20g minimum for a group of 8-10.
Narrative:
There are several species of hillstream loaches available all around Asia, however, details will be posted for specifics. They are easily distinguished from Gastromyzons by their smaller mouth shape and wider body appearance. A lot of these species can reach to 2-3 inches maximum size although smaller in captivity.
This fish has long been called in several other names including Borneo Sucker, Stingray Pleco, Butterfly Pleco and China Sucker. While they do closely resemble the plecos, the truth is they are neither plecos nor can they be considered as catfish. They are loaches thus falling under the cyprinids category.
Hillstream loaches inhabit fast-flowing streams with boulders and this must be replicated in captivity to satisfy their needs. In short, a tank with substrate and smooth rocks coated with algae make a suitable environment for them. Keep them at a temperature ranging 65-76 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher than that can result in inactivity and reduction of oxygen supply. Plants may be recommended as well to ensure excellent water quality as this fish actually prefers very clean water as evident in their habitat. Provide powerful currents and surface movements to ensure very high oxygen supply and continuing comfort in their home. They will not last long enough if the oxygen is greatly depleted or if any of their requirements are not met at all.
Sexing is not easy and may actually vary depending on the species. As far as breeding, some species have been successfully bred. One species worth mentioning is Sewella lineolata, one of the species well known for its beautiful reticulated patterns.
On tank maintenance, doing 20-30% water change on daily basis is recommended. Small frequent water changes are far more safer for this fish than big water changes at different time intervals as they will not be happy with the tremendous changes in water conditions.
Lastly, it has been acknowledged so far that hillstream loaches can last as long as five years provided they are not deprived of the requirements that will allow them to thrive in your tank happily.
Questions/Comments in red...
Care Level: easy uh huh...
Temperature range: 18-24 degrees Celsius (68-76 degrees Fahrenheit) What temperature do you try to keep them at personally?
Compatible Tankmates:
Tankmates should be able to tolerate very low temperatures and fast flowing currents. White cloud mountain minnows and several species of danios and devarios make suitable tankmates along with peaceful Schistura species and other hillstream loach species. I read a popular choice are white cloud minnows? Could you recommend any other fish similar to this? I would like to setup a biotope, but not sure if this is possible... I believe the "minnows" are actually from China?
Diet:
Diet consists mostly of algae and aufwuches which harbor the algae. This, in short, makes us think hillstream loaches are indeed omnivores. They have been fed so far with bloodworms, mosquito larva, shrimps and plenty other foods. Small artificial foods will also be appreciated by this fish.
This seems a bit contradictory... I would think these fatty foods (bloodworms) would not be good... I have yet to see any species of fish turn down bloodworms, and I am sure they would eat them. What would the ideal ratio of veggie to meaty foods be?
Tip: In order to ensure the continuous supply of algae, the use of sunlight, fertilizers/fish food and dechlorinated tap water in a bucket/spare aquarium (not the main river aquarium!) are very important and will be sufficient enough to grow algae in a few days. Simply place a few rocks inside the bucket of water. Put a pinch of fish food or dose it with fertilizer designed for aquarium plants. Once you are done with the above, place the bucket under direct sunlight. Wait patiently for a few days and you should expect green algal growth among the rocks. Alternately use the rocks by placing a few ones at a time in the main aquarium for the hillstream loaches to feed. Return the rocks to the bucket and use the others thus ensuring you will not run out of the supply of algae which is very important to the well being of the fish. So overdosing the tank with ferts and running a T5 24 hours a day may work? THIS is going to be fun... obviously it would happen before the fish are introduced. Seriously though, I live in Oregon, there isn't much sunlight this time of year. I am prepared to feed algae tablets, although I would imagine these are a poor substitute? What about growing algae indoors with an artificial light?
Tank Size for Adult: 20g minimum for a group of 8-10. As mentioned, my tank is a 20 long. I have an aquaclear 70 powerhead and am planning on setting up the river tank as outlined on loaches.com. Was thinking... could I stuff ceramic bio media in the 3/4 pvc running underneath the tank? Or would this lead to too much reduced flow? I am thinking i am going to run just one powerhead, unlike the outline with two.
Narrative:
There are several species of hillstream loaches available all around Asia, however, details will be posted for specifics. They are easily distinguished from Gastromyzons by their smaller mouth shape and wider body appearance. A lot of these species can reach to 2-3 inches maximum size although smaller in captivity.
This fish has long been called in several other names including Borneo Sucker, Stingray Pleco, Butterfly Pleco and China Sucker. While they do closely resemble the plecos, the truth is they are neither plecos nor can they be considered as catfish. They are loaches thus falling under the cyprinids category.
Hillstream loaches inhabit fast-flowing streams with boulders and this must be replicated in captivity to satisfy their needs. In short, a tank with substrate and smooth rocks coated with algae make a suitable environment for them. Keep them at a temperature ranging 65-76 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher than that can result in inactivity and reduction of oxygen supply. Plants may be recommended as well to ensure excellent water quality as this fish actually prefers very clean water as evident in their habitat. Provide powerful currents and surface movements to ensure very high oxygen supply and continuing comfort in their home. They will not last long enough if the oxygen is greatly depleted or if any of their requirements are not met at all.
Sexing is not easy and may actually vary depending on the species. As far as breeding, some species have been successfully bred. One species worth mentioning is Sewella lineolata, one of the species well known for its beautiful reticulated patterns.
Nice picture BTW...
On tank maintenance, doing 20-30% water change on daily basis is recommended. Small frequent water changes are far more safer for this fish than big water changes at different time intervals as they will not be happy with the tremendous changes in water conditions.
Do you find this daily water change suggestion is accurate? I just cannot do daily water changes, I am fine with two or three times a week. I would think with a low bioload, an overly filtered tank with a lot of current, and regular water changes (not daily) would be sufficient?
Lastly, it has been acknowledged so far that hillstream loaches can last as long as five years provided they are not deprived of the requirements that will allow them to thrive in your tank happily.
Good to know.
Thanks for the posted info Lupin, I had read that at one point... I've been doing so much research on this I've sort of lost track. I have a good idea of the needs of this species and am prepared to set up a proper tank... if you could address my questions above I would appreciate it and any other advice/observations you may have. That goes to anyone else who has kept or is keeping these as well!
Care Level: easy uh huh...
Temperature range: 18-24 degrees Celsius (68-76 degrees Fahrenheit) What temperature do you try to keep them at personally?
Compatible Tankmates:
Tankmates should be able to tolerate very low temperatures and fast flowing currents. White cloud mountain minnows and several species of danios and devarios make suitable tankmates along with peaceful Schistura species and other hillstream loach species. I read a popular choice are white cloud minnows? Could you recommend any other fish similar to this? I would like to setup a biotope, but not sure if this is possible... I believe the "minnows" are actually from China?
Diet:
Diet consists mostly of algae and aufwuches which harbor the algae. This, in short, makes us think hillstream loaches are indeed omnivores. They have been fed so far with bloodworms, mosquito larva, shrimps and plenty other foods. Small artificial foods will also be appreciated by this fish.
This seems a bit contradictory... I would think these fatty foods (bloodworms) would not be good... I have yet to see any species of fish turn down bloodworms, and I am sure they would eat them. What would the ideal ratio of veggie to meaty foods be?
Tip: In order to ensure the continuous supply of algae, the use of sunlight, fertilizers/fish food and dechlorinated tap water in a bucket/spare aquarium (not the main river aquarium!) are very important and will be sufficient enough to grow algae in a few days. Simply place a few rocks inside the bucket of water. Put a pinch of fish food or dose it with fertilizer designed for aquarium plants. Once you are done with the above, place the bucket under direct sunlight. Wait patiently for a few days and you should expect green algal growth among the rocks. Alternately use the rocks by placing a few ones at a time in the main aquarium for the hillstream loaches to feed. Return the rocks to the bucket and use the others thus ensuring you will not run out of the supply of algae which is very important to the well being of the fish. So overdosing the tank with ferts and running a T5 24 hours a day may work? THIS is going to be fun... obviously it would happen before the fish are introduced. Seriously though, I live in Oregon, there isn't much sunlight this time of year. I am prepared to feed algae tablets, although I would imagine these are a poor substitute? What about growing algae indoors with an artificial light?
Tank Size for Adult: 20g minimum for a group of 8-10. As mentioned, my tank is a 20 long. I have an aquaclear 70 powerhead and am planning on setting up the river tank as outlined on loaches.com. Was thinking... could I stuff ceramic bio media in the 3/4 pvc running underneath the tank? Or would this lead to too much reduced flow? I am thinking i am going to run just one powerhead, unlike the outline with two.
Narrative:
There are several species of hillstream loaches available all around Asia, however, details will be posted for specifics. They are easily distinguished from Gastromyzons by their smaller mouth shape and wider body appearance. A lot of these species can reach to 2-3 inches maximum size although smaller in captivity.
This fish has long been called in several other names including Borneo Sucker, Stingray Pleco, Butterfly Pleco and China Sucker. While they do closely resemble the plecos, the truth is they are neither plecos nor can they be considered as catfish. They are loaches thus falling under the cyprinids category.
Hillstream loaches inhabit fast-flowing streams with boulders and this must be replicated in captivity to satisfy their needs. In short, a tank with substrate and smooth rocks coated with algae make a suitable environment for them. Keep them at a temperature ranging 65-76 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher than that can result in inactivity and reduction of oxygen supply. Plants may be recommended as well to ensure excellent water quality as this fish actually prefers very clean water as evident in their habitat. Provide powerful currents and surface movements to ensure very high oxygen supply and continuing comfort in their home. They will not last long enough if the oxygen is greatly depleted or if any of their requirements are not met at all.
Sexing is not easy and may actually vary depending on the species. As far as breeding, some species have been successfully bred. One species worth mentioning is Sewella lineolata, one of the species well known for its beautiful reticulated patterns.
Nice picture BTW...
On tank maintenance, doing 20-30% water change on daily basis is recommended. Small frequent water changes are far more safer for this fish than big water changes at different time intervals as they will not be happy with the tremendous changes in water conditions.
Do you find this daily water change suggestion is accurate? I just cannot do daily water changes, I am fine with two or three times a week. I would think with a low bioload, an overly filtered tank with a lot of current, and regular water changes (not daily) would be sufficient?
Lastly, it has been acknowledged so far that hillstream loaches can last as long as five years provided they are not deprived of the requirements that will allow them to thrive in your tank happily.
Good to know.
Thanks for the posted info Lupin, I had read that at one point... I've been doing so much research on this I've sort of lost track. I have a good idea of the needs of this species and am prepared to set up a proper tank... if you could address my questions above I would appreciate it and any other advice/observations you may have. That goes to anyone else who has kept or is keeping these as well!
Havr you ever kept them?aclockworkorange;4482086; said:Care Level: easy uh huh...
Just because they have a lot of requirements that need to be met, it does not mean they are quite difficult to keep. They are not at all.72-80 degrees however the temperature tends to soar above 76 degrees during the summer (short period) in which case, I made sure the tank is well aerated. They are tolerant to high temp on a short period.
Yes, they're from China. Danios and minnows are usually more advisable since they occupy quite different levels and will rarely bother each other.
As I said, these are omnivorous in nature however they do prefer algae more than anything else especially red, brown and green algae. Meaty foods are not an issue. They can take well to it but be sure to add algae as part of their main diet as they thrive on algae.
If you can grow them indoors, why not?
Adjust where it is necessary. Ceramics are not really necessary but if they obstruct the flow, don't use them at all.
2-3 times a week is fine. Just don't change too much water all at once. Their habitat spares them too much luxuries by having very clean water on a daily basis.
I bought one a long time ago for a 10 gallon that only had a betta. I acclimatized him and let him out. He looked fine and started eating algae. Then I had to get groceries or something. When I came home, the betta had eaten his eyes out and was beating the crap out of him as he darted around desperately. I euthanized him out of mercy figuring he might not recover anyway. Silly bettas, you just never know.
