Chinese butterfly loach
Pseudogastromyzon cheni
Also known as Chinese hillstream loach, Chen's hillstream loach, Chinese butterfly hillstream loach
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 64–75°F
- 18–24°C
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 2.4 in
- 6 cm
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- 75 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Gastromyzontidae
- Origin
- Native to fast, rocky hill streams of Fujian and Zhejiang provinces in southeastern China, in cool, highly oxygenated water.
Overview
Keep a small group of 4 to 6 in a tank of 75 litres or more with strong flow and smooth rockwork, at 18 to 24 C and pH 6.5 to 7.5. It grazes algae and biofilm, so supplement with vegetable-based sinking foods, blanched vegetables and the occasional frozen treat. Peaceful toward other fish, it suits cool tanks with white cloud minnows, danios and other hillstream loaches.
In the wild
A flattened hillstream loach around 6 cm long that clings to rocks and grazes the algae film. It needs strong current, cool water and high oxygen, the conditions of the shallow rapids it comes from. Smooth stones and a bright light to grow algae give it both grazing surface and the flow it wants. Warm, sluggish water leaves it stressed and prone to wasting away.
Good to know
Its paired fins spread out sideways like small wings and act as a suction pad, letting it hold station on bare rock in strong flow. Males set up small grazing territories on favoured stones and display to each other over them.
Did you know
It is often confused with the larger butterfly hillstream loaches of the genus Beaufortia, but Pseudogastromyzon stays smaller and comes from farther east in China.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Chinese butterfly loach is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Gold barb
Barbodes semifasciolatus
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Red-chinned panchax
Epiplatys dageti
Freshwater1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)70–75°F (21–24°C)
Crevice catfish
Amblyceps mangois
Freshwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Black widow tetra
Gymnocorymbus ternetzi
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Norman's lampeye
Poropanchax normani
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Devdevi loach
Schistura devdevi
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Chinese butterfly loach need?
A Chinese butterfly loach needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Chinese butterfly loach need?
A Chinese butterfly loach is comfortable at 64–75°F (18–24°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.
How big does a Chinese butterfly loach get?
An adult Chinese butterfly loach reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).
Related species
2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)Sucker-belly loach
Pseudogastromyzon myersi
2.4 in (6 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)24 gal (90 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)Broadhead hillstream loach
Pseudogastromyzon laticeps
3.1 in (8 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)25 gal (95 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)Banded hillstream loach
Pseudogastromyzon fasciatus
3.9 in (10 cm) · 25 gal (95 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)25 gal (95 L)64–75°F (18–24°C)Fang's hillstream loach
Pseudogastromyzon fangi
3.9 in (10 cm) · 25 gal (95 L)
2.4 in (6 cm)24 gal (90 L)68–75°F (20–24°C)Finespot hillstream loach
Sewellia analis
2.4 in (6 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)
2.4 in (6.2 cm)24 gal (90 L)68–75°F (20–24°C)Pako hillstream loach
Sewellia breviventralis
2.4 in (6.2 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)