Keeping that many fish in an aquarium can be challenging though. Females are usually docile and will not show territorial behaviors. At the same time, you are providing a better living environment for your fish. This makes them easy to keep, given that they don't require as much food as other fish. At first glance, its easy to confuse a hillstream loach with a pleco fish from the Loricariidae family. If the water is murky, the fish will be darker. Their colors mainly vary depending on the environment they are living in the wild. They will also gladly eat any algae that grow on the leaves without eating any of the healthy ones. We dont spam. Because these fish are not sensitive or nocturnal so you can use a full spectrum LED light on your aquarium. The water parameters that they need are as follows: The setup for a Butterfly hillstream loach aquarium is actually pretty simple. These fish are sensitive to water quality and need a well-filtered tank to stay healthy. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The ideal number of hillstream loaches to keep together is three or more. The hillstream loaches or river loaches are a family, the Balitoridae, [3] of small fish from South, Southeast and East Asia. These stingrays have had their barbs removed and have been acclimated to being touched, making this a safe and fun experience for both parties. In fact, a hillstream loach tank can look very different from one hobbyist to another. We Have successfully kept these fish with the following fish: Hillstream loaches are a popular choice for aquariums because of their unique appearance and their ability to thrive in a variety of water conditions. Instead, these shallow areas receive high amounts of sunlight, facilitating biofilm and other algae growth for hillstream loaches to feed on. Perhaps the most important thing to remember when caring for hillstream loaches is that they require a lot of oxygenated water. And when you keep them in an aquarium, they will love to eat anything that will grow on the plant leaves, rocks, driftwood, and walls of your fish tank. So we recommend using a canister filter as they provide all the mentioned factors. These are peaceful freshwater fish that have a few specific requirements, though they might be more adaptable than we think. Theyve been documented in some veins of the famous Mekong River, which houses some of the largest freshwater fish ever recorded. The tubes should be non-perforated, The tank has to be high and long. The yarn will need to be long enough to reach the bottom of the tank. Hillstream loaches are a beautiful fish that can be a great addition to any home aquarium. These loaches get along well with other peaceful fish and make a great addition to any community tank. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Picking a good mix of rocks, driftwood, plants, and a soft substrate will make your tank look more natural and beautiful. Disclaimer: Fish Academia is not a substitute for veterinary advice.While we will do our best to help you, your friend deserves to be taken care of by a specialist when necessary. You are using an out of date browser. These little fish are perfect for beginners with an established aquarium and experienced aquarists alike. Besides. The common names for this popular aquarium species are Chinese hillstream loach, Hong Kong pleco, butterfly hillstream loach, and Chinese sucker fish. In the wild environment, they eat very small aquatic crustaceans found at the bottom of the river, a tiny organism living underwater, and algae. Butterfly hillstream loaches are a freshwater fish that is native to fast moving streams and rivers in Southeast Asia. There are a few different types of filters that can be used in a Hillstream Loach tank, but the most important thing is to make sure that the filter is powerful enough to keep the water clean and free of toxins. These fish are accustomed to the water conditions of East Asia and are known for their unique social behaviors. Theyre relatively easy to care for and add a lot of visual interest to your tank with their vibrant colors and interesting patterns. Fast-flowing water also encourages the growth of algae, which they will graze on. When choosing tank mates for hillstream loaches, it's important to select species that can tolerate the same water conditions as the loaches, as well as those that won't be intimidated by their active swimming habits. The substrate in a Hillstream loach aquarium provides numerous benefits. This allows the loach to stay out of other fish's way and integrate into any peaceful and calm community setup. Though they greatly enjoy benthic algae, hillstream loaches are omnivores that need both meat- and plant-based foods. As for the substrate, you can go with either sand or gravel. Despite their small size, Hillstream Loaches require extra care compared to other freshwater fish due to their special needs regardng water quality and flow. You must log in or register to reply here. Hillstream loaches can reach lengths of up to 6 inches, although most species tend to stay within the 2-3 inch range. They also tend to be peaceful and won't compete for food or territory with your Betta. Visit The Aquarium Guide (TAG)'s profile on Pinterest. Differentiating males from females can also be difficult if theyre not fully mature adults. This will help them to stay healthy and thrive in their new environment. The hillstream loach is a relatively small fish that stays on the bottom of the aquarium. They are also peaceful fish that get along well with other tank mates of a similar size. They can survive in a wide range of water parameters, but it is always best to try and match the water parameters of their natural habitat as closely as possible. Tundra Biome A Journey Into the Cold and Barren Wilderness, Finding Life and Meaning in Tuesdays with Morrie, Powerful and Loving: The Benefits of Black and Brown Dogs, Exploring the World of Black and Brown Dog Breeds, Believe in the Process: How to Reach Your Goals Through Trust. The eyes on the Butterfly hillstream loach are large and protrude slightly from their head. Female specimens often have a wider head and plumper body compared to males. They have a rather small head in comparison to the rest of their body. A good filter will help with this, but you can also add an air stone if needed. Hillstream Loach (Sewellia lineolata): Ultimate Care Guide Nicknames: Tiger Hillstream Loach, Reticulated Hillstream Loach. Hillstream loaches aren't the sharpest tools in the shed when it comes to feeding, even by fish standards, so they don't react to feeding time as fast as other fish. Unlike most other fish species in the wild, hillstream loaches take shelter under rocks and other structures instead of plants. This aquarium setup should have minimal decorations to meet goldfish requirements, but still have some structures for your loaches to hide and graze. Goldfish arent the only type of coldwater fish. This means that they can withstand relatively high lighting intensities in the aquarium, though shade from driftwood and smooth rocks should be provided throughout the tank in case they want to hide. Elephant Nose Fish: Care Guide, Breeding, Tank Size & Disease, Jewel Cichlid: Full Care Guide, Breeding, Tank Size, and Disease. In general, a small group of about 3 hillstream loaches requires a minimum of 20 gallons. Recreating that in the aquarium can be difficult, but its also unnecessary. Hillstream loach - Wikipedia With small broods of fry, as soon as they begin to breed, they spawn after every few weeks. . Hillstream loaches are a popular choice for aquariums because they are peaceful and can be a good cleaning crew. Their eyes are small and set high on the head. They are a great addition to any freshwater aquarium that needs some cleaning crew. Make sure to use a filter guard to prevent this from happening while also giving your fish more room to graze! Hillstream loaches also require cool and very well oxygenated water with plenty of current, so having a large tank ensures that you can provide these conditions for your fish. These are versatile fish that can be kept in various aquarium setups. We seek to promote and sell equipment that works and understand that sometimes these will be products we do not carry so we are happy to part folks in the right direction :). This is great due to their high retail price! The theory is that the fertilized eggs will be transported downstream to more relaxed water conditions. They are generally not known to eat snails, although they may occasionally nibble on them if they are hungry. This is a parasitic infection that can cause a lot of problems for your fish. Youll also need to create a spawning mop. Beaufortia kweichowensis - Wikipedia Take a guess where the hillstream loach originates. Borneo Loach vs Hillstream Loach - Aquariumia Of course, it takes plenty of patience to do this. Hillstream loaches can be bred under tank conditions. Same as pleco fish, the Hillstream loaches are another fish that has a long, flat, and streamlined body shape. They often prefer to hide among the rocks and plants in their tank and will not bother other fish. Hillstream loaches are found in fast-flowing streams and rivers in Asia; this is why they are called Hillstream loaches. This should keep the other fish in the aquarium distracted while your hillstream loaches eat. Mark has been featured in two books about aquarium keeping both best sellers on Amazon. Butterfly hillstream loaches have a lifespan of 3-5 years. In an Angelfish and Hillstream loaches tank, water temperature should remain stable around 73-75 degrees Fahrenheit and pH around 7. As soon as it is ready, transfer the fish to this while preparing the other the same way, Patchiness in their color is a sign that they are unhealthy and need swift attention, When they refuse to feed, this too could be a sign of brewing trouble, When they become limp, check on the oxygen in the tank. Tank Temperature: 68-75F. These fish spend most of their time at the bottom of the tank so its important to invest in a good substrate. Just make sure that the gravel isnt too big. They are peaceful and do not bother other fish. The minimum tank size for hillstream loaches is 20 gallons. How long did you have it? Food & Diet If you want your hillstream loach to live as long as possible then you need to make sure they have the right diet. One of the main reasons the hillstream loach might be seen as a difficult species to keep is due to its price tagits true! To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. These fish have a brown or black base color with white spots all over their body. Native to Vietnam and Laos, Reticulated hillstream loaches are found in fast-flowing, highly oxygenated small streams with submerged plants, as well as in larger rivers where current velocity may exceed 1 m/sec. Contact|Policy & Privacy|Resource|Advertisement, TheAquariumGuide is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The biggest difference between these two fish is that hillstream loaches originate from Southeast Asia, while plecos are found throughout South America. Hillstream Loaches are not one of these "Tank-buster" fish, usually remaining under 3 inches, but do require specialized care. to maintain a good water flow in your aquarium. They are typically quite peaceful and do not pose a threat to other tank inhabitants. They have a strong sense of smell and sight, which they use to find food in the water. Their favorite is aufwuch, Pellet food, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, flake, frozen food including brine shrimp and, Vegetables like kales leaves, cucumber, blanched spinach and courgette are another specialty that have been tried and were successful, To be extremely successful with feeding the loaches, having two or more tanks could be a good idea. But before that, you will need a specific tank for them to breed and raise their fry. The best tank size for a small group of 3 hillstream loaches is 20 gallons; a longer tank will provide more open swimming space and surfaces for algae to grow for your loaches. A native of fast moving rivers and streams of Asia, this fish with a streamlined body is able to withstand strong currents. When Hillstream loach fish are ready to breed, the males and females will engage in a mating dance. The Borneo hillstream loach can grow to be about 4 inches (10 cm) long. If you kept it in too warm of a tank for a long time, its health may have deteriorated irreversibly. However, they can be territorial and may fight with other bottom-dwelling fish if the aquarium is overcrowded. Regular tank maintenance is necessary to keep nutrients down and replenish the tank water. You may be wondering how to keep a coldwater species in warm water temperatures, but these fish are surprisingly adaptable. Even though they dont generally breed in captivity environments, but they would reproduce in trenches under the rocks, replicating riverine environments. Theyre social creatures that do best when they have their own kind around. That being said, many hobbyists have successfully kept these fish with typical tropical fish in water temperatures up to 80 F. The common name hillstream loach also refers to the overall Balitoridae scientific family instead of the singular species; this group may also be known as river loaches. A group of 4 needs a slightly bigger tank. At the same time, An aquarium looks more beautiful to humans when good light is used. Java Fern is one of the easiest and hardiest live plants you can purchase. Dry flakes, pellets, and algae wafers are not always a complete source of food so its best to add some frozen protein foods to their diet as well. The only thing to keep in mind is that these fish come from fast-moving waters. Some recommended species are Java fern (Leptochilus pteropus), Amazon sword (Echinodorus grisebachii), and members of Bolbitis. This way, chances of predators finding a delicacy on the eggs or fry of this fish are limited. You can usually buy juveniles for around $15-20. They also appreciate a diet of live or frozen foods, as well as sinking pellets or tablets. The appearance of the hillstream loach can tell you everything you need to know about the natural habitats of this fish. These fish are actually quite hardy and dont fall ill often. Hillstream loaches are egg scatters and the male and female will swim in the water column releasing egg and sperm simultaneously. An aquarist with a desire to keep the hillstream loach fish should not have doubts about keeping this fish in a home tank. Some compatible Butterfly hillstream loach tank mates include: Butterfly hillstream loaches are not easy to breed in captivity. Powerful filtration and powerheads circulate water to create a constant current that agitates the surface water to introduce oxygen. The butterfly hillstream loach is known by several other names, such as the Chinese loach, the loach Hong Kong Pleco, and more. This species will not bother any fish that looks physically diverse to them. However, there are a few things that need to be considered before just throwing these loaches in with any goldfish. You can use some power-heads to maintain a good water flow in your aquarium. Therefore, it is best to keep them in small groups for optimal health and well-being. They usually thrive if you maintain everything at the following levels: Water temperature: 68F and 75F Water hardness: Medium to hardness pH Levels: 6.5-7.5 When he's not writing or spending time with his family, David enjoys playing basketball and golfing. The reticulated hillstream loach isnt a schooling fish, but these fish thrive when surrounded by their own species. They will be able to give you the proper medication to treat the infection. They are a species that is best left to the experts. Hillstream Loach-Gastromyzon-Pseudogastromyzon - Fishkeeper This species of freshwater fish can be found in East and Southeast Asia, where it inhabits fast-flowing streams and rivers and feeds on small invertebrates such as larvae, worms, and other aquatic creatures. Loaches may eat other fish species, so a breeding box for safe spawning is advisable. Hillstream loaches are peaceful, bottom-dwelling fish that do well in a community tank. Some hobbyists keep a single hillstream loach in a 10 gallon fish tank, but these fish do best when kept in groups. However, they are totally different even though they share a few similarities. At first glance, one might confuse the loach with the cat fish. However, there are a few things that need to be considered before just throwing these loaches in with any goldfish. They have very short barbels that help them locate food. During water changes, the substrate can be siphoned for leftover food and other fish waste. The glass wall of an aquarium is no feat and they can easily travel their way up the side and out. Branscombe Richmond 10 Facts About His Life & Career, Bobrisky Reveals Why Hes Yet to Be Married, Bottle Brush Trees 16 Interesting Facts, The Power of the Dark Side of Blood Elves, Pillar Men: Uncovering the Secrets of the Super Aja, David Bordallo is a senior editor with BlogDigger.com, where he writes on a wide variety of topics.