TankBud

Ornate-tail Borneo sucker

Gastromyzon ornaticauda

Also known as Fancy-tail Borneo sucker, Blue tail Borneo loach, Ornate Borneo sucker loach

FreshwaterFish

Ornate-tail Borneo sucker (Gastromyzon ornaticauda)

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–77°F
20–25°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
3.3 in
8.4 cm
Minimum tank
24 gal
90 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Gastromyzontidae
Origin
Kuamut River, Sabah, Malaysia

Overview

The ornate-tail Borneo sucker is a robust, peaceful hillstream loach and the Borneo sucker most often seen in shops. It is a fair introduction to the group, though still a difficult fish that needs a proper river tank.

Did you know

The ornate-tail Borneo sucker spends its day clamped motionless to rock in fast water. Often the only part that moves is its patterned tail, flicking and shifting like a small banded flag.

Caring for the ornate-tail Borneo sucker

Give a group of ornate-tail Borneo suckers 24 gal (90 L) or more, with a broad, rocky floor. They hold larger grazing territories than the smallest species, so spread out plenty of stone for them to divide up. Smooth boulders and cobbles that can grow algae suit them, over a base of sand and gravel.

Keep the water at 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Run strong flow, and keep oxygen high with vigorous surface movement.

It grazes biofilm steadily. Add algae-based sinking foods and a little fine meaty sinking food to keep it in condition.

Keep a group of five or six with small, calm fish that enjoy the same brisk current. No captive spawning has been reported for the species.

Good to know

Gastromyzon ornaticauda is a member of the hillstream loach family Gastromyzontidae. Tan and Martin-Smith described it in 1998. The name means ornate tail, for the boldly banded, patterned caudal fin that sets it apart from its plainer relatives.

In the wild

The ornate-tail Borneo sucker is known from the Kuamut River in Sabah, northern Borneo. It lives on current-swept stone in warm, clear, fast water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The ornate-tail 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 ornate-tail Borneo sucker need?

An ornate-tail Borneo sucker needs at least 24 gal (90 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an ornate-tail Borneo sucker need?

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

What does an ornate-tail Borneo sucker eat?

An ornate-tail Borneo sucker grazes biofilm steadily. It also needs algae-based sinking foods and a little fine meaty sinking food to stay in condition.

How big does an ornate-tail Borneo sucker get?

An adult ornate-tail Borneo sucker reaches about 3.3 in (8.4 cm).

Related species