Sichuan hillstream loach

Sinogastromyzon szechuanensis

Also known as Szechuan hillstream loach

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 57–72°F (14–22°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 4.7 in (12 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Upper Yangtze tributaries, Sichuan, China
Family: Gastromyzontidae

Overview

A genuinely cold-water fish and a large one, this loach wants cool water year round, current strong enough to blow lesser fish off the glass, and plenty of stone to graze. Keep a peaceful group of five or so over broad boulders, and be ready to cool the tank through summer, since warmth is the main thing that kills it. It grazes biofilm steadily and should also get algae wafers, sinking pellets, and a little meatier sinking food to match its size. Give it calm, cool-water tankmates that thrive in fast flow. A long tank of around 110 liters or more suits its size and its need for a strong current line.

In the wild

Sinogastromyzon szechuanensis lives in cold, fast tributaries of the upper Yangtze in Sichuan, western China, where the water stays cool even in summer. It needs genuinely cool conditions, 14 to 22 C, which is colder than most tropical gear is built for, so a chiller or a cool room may be necessary. Provide torrent-grade flow, high oxygen, smooth boulders to graze, and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5.

Good to know

One of the larger hillstream loaches in the family Gastromyzontidae, this species grows to up to around 12 centimeters. Fang described it in 1930; the genus name Sinogastromyzon means Chinese belly-sucker, and the epithet marks its home in Sichuan, once romanized as Szechuan. Its broad paired fins join into a wide skirt that forms a strong hold on rock. Its reproduction in captivity has not been documented.

Did you know

Its joined pelvic and pectoral fins form one broad adhesive skirt, and the grip is strong enough that pulling a settled fish off the glass by hand can injure it, so careful keepers slide a card under the disc instead.

Tank mates

Sichuan hillstream loach is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.