Smooth-belly Borneo sucker

Gastromyzon psiloetron

Also known as Kayan Borneo sucker, Reticulated Borneo sucker loach

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 25 gal (95 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Kayan and Mahakam basins, Kalimantan, Indonesia
Family: Gastromyzontidae

Overview

One of the larger Borneo suckers, so scale up the rockwork and the food to match its size. Keep a peaceful group of five or six over generous grazing stone; it is completely tolerant of tankmates and asks only that the water never stops moving. It grazes biofilm through the day and should also take algae wafers, sinking pellets, and a little fine meaty sinking food. Suitable companions are small, calm fish that enjoy warm, fast, clean water. A tank of around 95 liters with strong flow and a broad rocky floor gives a group room to graze and spread out.

In the wild

Gastromyzon psiloetron lives in the Kayan and Mahakam river systems of Kalimantan, on the Indonesian side of Borneo, on stone in warm, fast, clear water. Recreate that with 22 to 26 C, strong flow, and oxygen kept near saturation. Use smooth, algae-covered boulders and cobbles over sand and gravel, and hold pH between 6.5 and 7.5.

Good to know

A hillstream loach in the family Gastromyzontidae, Gastromyzon psiloetron reaches about 10 centimeters. Tan described it in 2006, and the name means bare belly, for its scaleless underside, the opposite condition to the scale-bellied species of the genus. No aquarium breeding has been recorded for the species.

Did you know

A bare, scaleless belly presses flatter against rock than a scaled one can, and the trade-off runs right through this family: less armour underneath in exchange for a better grip in fast water.

Tank mates

Smooth-belly Borneo sucker is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.