Looks like my Hillstream Loach is mating

[Merviso]

Hi Bro,


I have been keeping 4 Hillstream Loach since July 2007. They have been doing quite well in my tank and I seldom have to bother about them.

I usually see them chasing and bumping each other around fighting for territory and that's quite normal.

However, I just noticed something that's unusual tonight.

I saw two of them moving around very closely on my driftwood, with one of them turning from the usually dark gray color to a very pale yellowish color. I see them moving around in circle with along each other and sometime one on top of the other. Very interesting to watch them.

I tried to take picture of them with my new digital camera that I have not even install the software yet. Guess it will not turn out nice as my skill is very lacking. I tried with taking the movie too and hopefully I'm able to share a decent clip with all of you soon. Wish me luck !

By the way, it may be because it is raining tonight; or because I have been feeding tubiflex worms for the past 2 days that trigger this behaviour. I usually don't bother about what they eat in the tank since I'm growing lots of algae for them..

[Quixotic]

What hillstream loaches are these? Any pictures of your tank setup?

[Merviso]

Hi Quixotic,


This is the Borneo Sucker that I have bought from C328. The smaller one which is in the 5pcs pack. I had one who past on after climbing out of my previous Tank. The 2 in action is dark gray with small yellowish polka dots.

I had previously posted my tank pics on this post: My first Planted Community Tank .

I have managed to get some of the actions as a movie clip on my camera; very interesting indeed. It is however around 360 MB and I have not done any video editing before. If there is any bro here able to help me edit it into a less than 100mb video clips, I think it should be very interesting to share it through youtube..

[Quixotic]

Should be Gastromyzon spp. The tank looks to be rather heavily planted, which may help with the survival of any spawns.

The spawning method and behaviour could be rather similar to Pseudogastromyzon cheni (a different hillstream loach species).

However, not sure if those are signs of spawning as the behaviour mentioned could also be territorial displays. Two squabbling males could be squaring up to one another, trying to get on top of one another. This is also mentioned in the article above.

Keep your fingers crossed and do keep us updated.

[Merviso]

Hi Quixotic,


Thanks for the information and kind assistance! The Pseudogastromyzon cheni looks very interesting to keep as well.

I have just managed to edit my video and upload to youtube. I personally find that this is not like their normal squabbling; but I may be wrong with all the excitements...

Anyway, here comes the interesting behaviour and hope all of you will enjoy it as much as I do.. and hope that I did not make a big boo boo ... hahaha...

YouTube - Hillstream Loach - Bornea Sucker - Mating?

btw... not sure if this video quality is acceptable.. but I do have a 360MB version if you are really interested..

[Quixotic]

Hmm... I am not totally convinced, this looks a lot like territorial dispute. My previous ones do this from time to time, climbing on top of one another, but not this long though.

I do hope that I am wrong, and would love to see some little loaches around!

[Merviso]

Well, guess only time will tell... I will continue to monitor their behaviour, and think I will change the title of the clips to reflect the uncertainty..

Since now that I have the tools to record any interesting events, think I can try to do a mini documentary as a personal project for fun...

Oh... one thing to hightlight is the changing of color of one of them (pale yellowish) during this event. The color quickly turn to the normal dark gray after they have split up. I did captured a small clip on that too. This is what I don't see in their usual territorial dispute. Quixotic, is that the norm for yours too?

[Graeme Robson]

Looks like your Gastromyzon ctenocephalus are having fun......

[Merviso]

Hi Graeme,


Thanks for the identification. It's good to see you here from Loaches.com.

Well, guess my loach is just having some fun playing around afterall... hmmm... looking on the positive side, maybe I'll just take it that they are having some foreplay then.. hahahaha..

[samuelgoh]

hi, sorry to OT a bit, is the hillstream loach same as the borneo sucker? they do look similar.. anyway does hillstream loach eat algae of any sort ?

[juggler]

Samuel: Looks like it is. See Butterfly Hillstream Loach

BTW - yesterday I got a bag of some loaches similar to Merviso's from Yishun Aquastar. So far manage to get this pic only. Is it the same species?

[Merviso]

Hi samuelgoh,

There are many different species of Hillstream Loach and they goes by many different common names as well.

My fish has been kindly identified by Graeme as Gastromyzon ctenocephalus and it can be found in Sarawak and Bornea. As such, it is also known as Bornea Sucker. However, there are more than one species of Hillstream Loach with this common name.


Hi juggler,

Nice catch. Looking from the base photo, your fish looks very different from mine, as shown in this link . It should therefore be another species of Hillstream Loach.

[Quixotic]

Hillstream loaches, as the name imply, refer to loaches that comes from swift, clear and well-oxygenated streams from the hills. It is just a collective name for these loaches from the Family Balitoridae.

Read this excellent article from http://www.loaches.com about hillstream loaches: Hillstream Loaches - The Specialists at Life in the Fast Lane

Koah Fong, your loach has an elongated body unlike the "sucker" shapes, so it is likely Homaloptera or similar spp.

[samuelgoh]

does the hillstream loach eat any algaes or the likes ?

[Quixotic]

I actually posted a very informative article on hillstream loach INCLUDING what they eat, so please read the article!

[Merviso]

Hi samuelgoh,

I would strongly suggest that you do a read up on the link kindly provided by Mod Quixotic. This is because there are many different species of Hillstream Loach available in our lfs and each has a slightly different characteristic and requirements.

For the Gastromyzon ctenocephalus that I'm having, yes they do feed on algae, as well as tubiflex worms and other fish food that I throw into the tank. Pretty easy to keep this fish as long as the water condition is suitable for them. However, my office fish tank has never been able to keep this fish for long thou.

[avant]

It's good to see people showing more interest in hillstream loaches. Their special needs are often not being considered when purchasing them.

Juggler's look like a Homaloptera. We will need a side/profile view to accurate ID it.

[Merviso]

Wow! avant, you seem to be specializing in loaches..

Other than the hillstream loaches, I'm also having one lonely Kuhli Loach and 6 Kubotai in another tank. Loaches are very interesting fish, only thing is that they are too prone to ich attack.

[avant]

haa.. i've been into loaches for more than 5 years.

Actually i do not think they are too prone to ich. I've not have any ich problem for a long long time (keeping my fingers crossed). Just make sure you select the fish properly, do proper acclimatisation to the home tank and they should fare very well. Probably the most likely loach to succumb to ich is Chromobotia macracanthus.

Try to get more Pangio sp. if possible to keep the lone one company.

[Merviso]

I do understand that it is usually bad water conditions and temperature fluctuation that causes the fish to catch ich; especially when they are under stress. But sometime it happens, and I felt so helpless when I saw them fighting a losing battle even with medication.

I do agree that the lonely Pangio sp. needs more company and had been keeping it more a while. At first there is no stock at the lfs when I wanted to buy. Then when they have stock, my tank is a bit over populated... Anyway, now is the good time to get them in...