Chinese banded loach

Schistura fasciolata

Also known as Hong Kong stone loach, Red tail bumble bee loach

FreshwaterFish

Chinese banded loach (Schistura fasciolata) — no rights reserved · cc0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 61–75°F (16–24°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 4.7 in (12 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Southern China including Hong Kong
Family: Nemacheilidae

Overview

This is a coolwater river loach, best kept without a heater in most homes and paired with other subtropical fish such as white cloud mountain minnows or hillstream loaches. It is a bottom dweller that sets up territories, so give each fish rock and cover and it coexists calmly with tankmates and its own kind. Provide real current and a well-oxygenated tank; warm, still water is the one thing it does not tolerate. Feed sinking meaty foods like bloodworm, chopped prawn, and pellets. A tank of around 110 liters or more with strong flow suits a small group.

In the wild

The Chinese banded loach lives in subtropical hill streams across southern China, including those of Hong Kong, where it favors cool, fast, rocky water. Recreate that with boulders, cobbles, and gravel, brisk flow, and plenty of oxygen. Keep it cool, from 16 to 24 degrees Celsius, with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. It does best with a seasonal drop into the lower end of that range in winter, closer to the temperatures of its wild streams.

Good to know

Schistura fasciolata is a fairly large stone loach, reaching about 12 centimeters, with roughly a dozen broad, dark bands across a pale body. It is one of the better-studied members of its genus, partly because its streams run through one of the world's most densely populated regions. Aquarium spawning has not been documented. Like other Schistura it is a fast-water specialist rather than a still-pond fish.

Did you know

This loach lives in streams right on the edge of Hong Kong, and hikers in the hills above the skyline can find it in clear pools within sight of skyscrapers, making it one of the more urban wild loaches anywhere.

Tank mates

Chinese banded loach is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.