River stone carp

Psilorhynchus sucatio

Also known as Sucatio torrent minnow, Nose loach

FreshwaterFish

River stone carp (Psilorhynchus sucatio) — Haplochromis · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 64–79°F (18–26°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 3.1 in (8 cm)
Minimum tank: 26 gal (100 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Ganges and Brahmaputra lowland streams, India and Bangladesh
Family: Psilorhynchidae

Overview

This is an easygoing, sociable bottom fish, so keep several together in a cooler community tank rather than one on its own. It skims sand and gravel in the lower water, resting on its fins and then hopping to the next spot to inspect it. It is peaceful and pairs well with other calm, current-loving fish, but it likes flow and oxygen and will not thrive in warm, still water. Feed sinking foods and let plenty reach the floor: micro pellets, sinking wafers, and small frozen foods such as bloodworm and daphnia. A tank of at least 100 litres with a sandy bed and gentle current suits a group.

In the wild

It ranges widely through the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages of India, Bangladesh, and Nepal, most often over sand near overhanging or emergent plants at the edges of streams. It takes flow but is less tied to fierce current than its torrent-dwelling relatives. Recreate it with a sandy floor, some smooth stones and roots, a temperature of 18 to 26 degrees Celsius, and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5.

Good to know

It belongs to the torrent minnow family, Psilorhynchidae, and reaches about 8 cm, with a long snout and a flattened, sand-coloured body. It was described by Hamilton in 1822 as part of the first great survey of the fishes of the Ganges. There is no established record of it breeding in the aquarium.

Did you know

It was among the fishes recorded in Francis Hamilton's 1822 account of the fishes of the Ganges, one of the earliest scientific surveys of Indian river fish, so it has been known to science for more than two centuries.