The identity of this fish is somewhat unclear although it’s available in the aquarium trade on an occasional basis.

It’s been considered to represent various species including Schistura beavani, S. montana and S. himachalensis but there exi…

The name of this fish is unclear with the fact that diagnoses for several members of this genus do not appear to exist in the English language making identification even trickier. It’s not common in the aquarium trade, either.

Homalopteroides spp. are specialised micropredators feeding on small crustaceans, insect larvae and other invertebrates.

In captivity some sinking dried foods may be accepted but regular meals of live or frozen Daphnia, Artemia, bloodworm, etc., are essential for the maintenance of good health.

H. sexmaculata is very similar to H. leonardi but can be told apart since it possesses 2 simple and 12-14 branched pectoral-fin rays (versus 6 simple and 11 branched rays). Both of these species are sometimes misidentified as H. yunnanensis which has 7 simple and 12 branched pectoral-fin rays.

Type locality is given as ‘Lake Meninju, Sumatra, Indonesia’, currently known as Danau (lake) Maninjau, but conceivably the fish may have been obtained from the outflowing Antokan river rather on its western side than the lake itself.

An obligate dweller of swiftly-flowing streams and headwaters containing clear, oxygen-saturated water. It often inhabits riffles and runs and is likely to display a preference for shallower zon…

Endemic to a handful of tributary streams within the upper Chao Phraya river system in northern Thailand. Six populations are known to date, with the majority lying inside the Doi Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary.

Some of its habitats are under threat by over-grazing, deforestation, deliberate forest fires, and collection for the aquarium trade.

Appears restricted to highly-oxygenated, fast-flowing riffles of small-to-medium sized streams. These typically contain clear water with substrates of gravel, rocks, boulders, and bedrock with no aquatic plants.

Fishes which inhabit similar biotopes in nature constitute the best options, especially peaceful, open water-dwelling cyprinids since the presence of one or two schools can make a visible difference to the confidence of this naturally reclusive loach.

This species is feisty and largely unsuitable for the general community aquarium. This is not to say it must be kept alone, rather that tankmates must be selected with care and proper research.

Slow-moving or long-finned species should certainly be omitted because they’re likely to struggle with the necessary level of water movement and may end up with nipped fins.