TankBud

Eyespotted Borneo sucker

Gastromyzon ocellatus

Also known as Ocellated Borneo sucker, Eye spot Borneo sucker loach

FreshwaterFish

Eyespotted Borneo sucker (Gastromyzon ocellatus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–77°F
20–25°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
2.1 in
5.4 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Gastromyzontidae
Origin
Sadong basin, southern Sarawak, Malaysia

Overview

The eyespotted Borneo sucker is a small, peaceful loach that grips stone in fast water. It is a challenge, best taken on by an experienced keeper.

Did you know

The eyespotted Borneo sucker carries ring-shaped eye-spots, a mark that turns up all over the animal world. Such spots pull a predator's strike toward a false target. On this small loach, they also make it one of the easier Borneo suckers to identify on the glass.

Caring for the eyespotted Borneo sucker

Give a group of eyespotted Borneo suckers a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more, which gives them room to graze and settle. Lay rounded, algae-covered rocks over a base of sand and fine gravel. Run a strong current, and keep oxygen high with vigorous surface movement.

Keep the water at 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C), with the pH mildly acidic to neutral at 6.5 to 7.5. It spends its time grazing the film of algae on hard surfaces, so mature the tank to keep biofilm always available. Supplement that with fine sinking foods and crushed algae wafers.

Keep a group of five or six over a spread of smooth rocks. The eyespotted Borneo sucker ignores tank mates and its own kind alike, apart from the odd harmless jockeying for a good grazing spot. Its companions should be small, calm fish that do well in the same strong flow and will not compete hard at the bottom. Nothing has been published on its captive breeding.

Good to know

Gastromyzon ocellatus is a member of the hillstream loach family Gastromyzontidae. Tan and Ng described it in 2004. The name ocellatus means bearing small eyes, a reference to the ring-shaped, eye-like spots scattered across its back.

In the wild

The eyespotted Borneo sucker lives in the clear hill streams of the Sadong basin in southern Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The water there is warm, fast and oxygen-rich, running over smooth stone.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The eyespotted Borneo sucker is a 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an eyespotted Borneo sucker need?

An eyespotted Borneo sucker needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an eyespotted Borneo sucker need?

An eyespotted Borneo sucker is comfortable at 68–77°F (20–25°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does an eyespotted Borneo sucker eat?

An eyespotted Borneo sucker grazes the film of algae on hard surfaces. Supplement that with fine sinking foods and crushed algae wafers.

How big does an eyespotted Borneo sucker get?

An adult eyespotted Borneo sucker reaches about 2.1 in (5.4 cm).

Related species