Barito loach

Kapuasia falaris

Also known as Falaris loach

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–81°F (23–27°C)
pH: 5.5–7.0
Adult size: 2.6 in (6.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 20 gal (75 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Barito basin, Kalimantan, Borneo
Family: Nemacheilidae

Overview

A newly described stream loach that behaves like its relatives: a peaceful, busy bottom fish best kept as a small group over sand. Because it is so new to the hobby, keeper experience is still thin, so aim to copy its wild stream conditions closely. Give it fine sand, smooth stones, and gentle flow, and keep it with calm, soft-water tankmates that stay off the floor. Feed small sinking foods, frozen bloodworm, and daphnia, making sure they reach the bottom. A tank of around 75 liters or more gives a group room to forage and set up loose feeding stations.

In the wild

The Barito loach lives in sandy forest streams of the Barito basin in South Kalimantan, on Borneo, in soft, slightly acidic water with a blackwater influence. Recreate that with a soft sand bed, leaf litter and driftwood, subdued lighting, and gentle current. Keep it warm at 23 to 27 degrees Celsius with a low pH of 5.5 to 7. Soft, clean water and tannins from leaves and wood suit it far better than hard, bright conditions.

Good to know

Kapuasia falaris is a stone loach in the family Nemacheilidae, reaching about 6.5 centimeters. It was described in 2024 by Maurice Kottelat, Tan Heok Hui, and Veryl Hasan, and placed in the newly erected genus Kapuasia. Its name comes from Greek roots meaning a white patch on the snout, for the pale mark on its nose. Nothing is yet recorded about how it breeds, so its reproduction remains an open question.

Did you know

This loach was named and described only in 2024, so its scientific paper is younger than most of the aquariums it now lives in; hobbyists and scientists met it at almost the same moment.