Stream fish species

Bloody Mary Borneo Sucker

ปลาผีเสื้อบอร์เนียวบลัดดี้แมรี่

Gastromyzon sp. Bloody Mary

Trade name for an undescribed Gastromyzon

Trade name for an undescribed Gastromyzon of the G. fasciatus group from Central Kalimantan. As an aquarium precaution keep it no warmer than 24 °C, in strong, well-oxygenated flow over biofilm-covered rock. It can be kept in a group - individuals chase each other a little but do no harm.

Blue Zebra Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อบอร์เนียวม้าลายหางฟ้า

Gastromyzon sp. Blue Zebra

Trade name - fish sold under it may be different species

Trade name, not a species. Sellers usually link it to the undescribed Gastromyzon sp. SK03 from South Kalimantan, and fish sold under this name may be different species. Keep it as for G. zebrinus in cool, fast, oxygen-rich water over rocks with a mature biofilm.

Borneo Sucker

ปลาผีเสื้อติดหินบอร์เนียว

Gastromyzon ctenocephalus

Often sold unsorted as "Borneo sucker" so a single bag may hold several species. Keep in groups of five or more.

Burmese Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อลำธารพม่า

Balitora burmanica

From the Salween basin on the Thai-Myanmar border. Among the most demanding for cool, fast water - not suitable without a fan or chiller in the hot season.

Chen's Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อติดหินจีนเล็ก

Pseudogastromyzon cheni

Small (about 5 cm) and wants the cooler end of the range. Males hold territories on individual stones - provide several flat rocks to spread them out.

Chinese Butterfly Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อติดหินจีน

Beaufortia kweichowensis

One of the most cold-tolerant hillstream fish (down to 18 °C), but it still needs to stay under 24 °C in the hot season. A sunken belly means starvation, not disease - it is the usual cause of loss.

Hillstream Loach 'SEW01'

ปลาผีเสื้อติดหิน SEW01

Sewellia sp. 'SEW01'

Trade code for an undescribed Sewellia

Trade code for an undescribed Sewellia. Care is identical to S. lineolata.

Humilis Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อบอร์เนียวฮิวมิลิส

Hypergastromyzon humilis

A tiny (about 4 cm) sucker from forest streams of the Kapuas basin in Borneo - add it only to a mature tank with algae- and biofilm-covered rock and strong oxygenated flow, and keep a tight lid as it can climb the glass.

Katibas Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อบอร์เนียวคาติบาส

Gastromyzon katibasensis

From rocky, fast-flowing headwaters of the Katibas River in Sarawak's Lanjak-Entimau sanctuary - needs strong, well-oxygenated flow over rocks with established biofilm to graze.

Lizard Loach

ปลาจิ้งจกน้ำ

Homaloptera orthogoniata

Elongate, lizard-like, clings to rock and wood. Not an algae grazer - needs meaty foods (bloodworm, brine shrimp, sinking pellets). Genus is under active revision; several species have moved to Balitoropsis.

Myers' Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อติดหินไมเออร์

Pseudogastromyzon myersi

Very close to P. cheni and hard to tell apart when young; tolerates a slightly wider temperature range.

Panda Loach

ปลาค้อแพนด้า

Yaoshania pachychilus

From fast mountain streams on Dayaoshan, Guangxi, China. Needs cool water no warmer than 24 °C with very strong flow (15–20x turnover per hour) and should only go into a mature tank with biofilm-covered rocks. The black-and-white panda pattern is juvenile only - adults turn mottled brown.

Ridens Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อบอร์เนียวไรเดน

Gastromyzon cf. ridens

cf. identification - close to G. ridens, not confirmed

A G. ridens-group sucker from fast streams in Sarawak and western Borneo. It needs a mature tank with algae- and biofilm-covered rock, turnover of 10–15 times the tank volume per hour, and a tight lid, since it can climb the glass.

Sadong Borneo Sucker

ปลาผีเสื้อบอร์เนียวซิทูลัส

Gastromyzon scitulus

Vulnerable (IUCN) endemic of the Sadong basin in Sarawak - needs very clean, oxygen-rich water turned over 10–15 times an hour and a tight-fitting lid, as it can climb the glass and escape.

Sewellia Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อเวียดนาม

Sewellia breviventralis

A rapids specialist from the Pako River in Vietnam, found only where current exceeds 1 m/s - needs very strong, highly oxygenated flow over rock, and because wild fish feed mainly on small invertebrates, supplement biofilm with sinking and frozen foods such as bloodworm.

Smith's Hillstream Loach

ปลาจิ้งจกน้ำสมิธ

Homaloptera smithi

Found in streams of southern and western Thailand. Wants coarse gravel and strong current. The Thai name here follows the scientific name, as there is no established common name.

Spotted Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อติดหินจุด

Gastromyzon punctulatus

From clear cool Bornean streams; prefers slightly softer water than Sewellia. Shy - needs flat stones to cling to and crevices to retreat into.

Sunset Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อบอร์เนียวซันเซ็ต

Gastromyzon venustus

Fish sold as Sunset may be another red-finned Gastromyzon

Known only from Sungai Belalong in Brunei, an obligate bottom-dweller of torrential water that cannot swim mid-water - it needs strong, oxygen-rich flow over rocks that already carry biofilm.

Tiger Hillstream Loach

ปลาผีเสื้อติดหินลายเสือ

Sewellia lineolata

The classic hillstream species. Needs strong laminar flow over smooth rock and high dissolved oxygen. Grazes biofilm but tank algae is never enough - supplement with sinking food and blanched vegetables. Will breed in a cool, fast tank.

Yellow-finned Borneo Sucker

ปลาผีเสื้อบอร์เนียวครีบเหลือง

Gastromyzon viriosus

Tatau-basin endemic from Sarawak that grazes biofilm in clear, oxygen-saturated riffles - add it only to a mature tank whose stones already carry algae, never to a newly set-up one.

Zebra Borneo Sucker

ปลาผีเสื้อบอร์เนียวม้าลาย

Gastromyzon zebrinus

From the upper Sambas basin in West Kalimantan. Needs cool (max 24 °C), fast, oxygen-saturated water over rocks with a mature biofilm, and too much protein in the diet can cause internal problems.