It looks particularly similar to N. alestes with both species possessing a colour pattern comprising a dark lateral stripe on the body, but can be distinguished immediately by possessing barbels longer than the head (vs. shorter than the head in N. alestes).

Field observations have revealed that individuals almost always position themselves facing into the flow, either along the sides, behind or under rocks, their specialised morphology (see ‘notes’) allowing them to feed and maintain position without being swept away.

In nature G. monticola occurs sympatrically alongside Garra borneensis, Osteochilus ingeri, Gastromyzon auronigrus, G. cornusaccus, Nemacheilus olivaceus,…

G. cornusaccus can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: secondary rostrum present; incomplete postoral pouch present reduced to pockets located posterior to mouth corners; sublacrymal groove present and visible when viewed laterally; juveniles with thick, cream-coloured bars and blotches on body, adults uniformly-coloured; head dorsum plain; subopercular groove absent; gill slit vertical; snout truncate when viewed dorsally; no scales on abdomen; 55-61 lateral line scale…