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Ribbon hillstream loach

Erromyzon kalotaenia

Also known as Beautiful-stripe hillstream loach, Chinese red spotted sucker loach

FreshwaterFish

Ribbon hillstream loach (Erromyzon kalotaenia)

Care at a glance

Temperature
64–75°F
18–24°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
2.3 in
5.8 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
Guijiang drainage, Guangxi, China

Overview

The ribbon hillstream loach is a small, fine-boned loach with a peaceful nature, suited to cool, fast water. Keeping it well takes experience.

Did you know

The ribbon hillstream loach's entire known range is a pair of mountain streams in Guangxi. It was described alongside a whole new loach genus from the same survey.

Caring for the ribbon hillstream loach

A small group of ribbon hillstream loaches needs 20 gal (75 L) or more, with steady, cool flow and a broken rocky floor. They tend to work the crevices and edges between stones rather than open rock faces, so build in plenty of nooks. Use smooth stones with biofilm over a fine gravel and sand base.

Keep the water at 64 to 75°F (18 to 24°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Add plenty of surface movement to keep the flow oxygen-rich.

It grazes biofilm and takes the smallest sinking foods, so mature the tank first. Offer finely crushed wafers and micro sinking pellets.

Keep a group of five or six with equally gentle company. Its tank mates should be small, calm, current-tolerant fish that will not out-muscle it at feeding time. Its breeding is undocumented.

Good to know

Erromyzon kalotaenia is a hillstream loach in the family Gastromyzontidae. Yang and colleagues described it in 2012. Its name comes from Greek roots meaning beautiful stripe, for the clean dark marking along its slender body.

In the wild

The ribbon hillstream loach is known from streams of the Guijiang drainage in Guangxi, southern China. The water there is cool and clear, and it runs fast over rock.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The ribbon hillstream loach 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 a ribbon hillstream loach need?

A ribbon hillstream loach needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a ribbon hillstream loach need?

A ribbon hillstream loach is comfortable at 64–75°F (18–24°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a ribbon hillstream loach eat?

A ribbon hillstream loach grazes biofilm and takes the smallest sinking foods. Offer it finely crushed wafers and micro sinking pellets in a mature tank.

How big does a ribbon hillstream loach get?

An adult ribbon hillstream loach reaches about 2.3 in (5.8 cm).

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