TankBud

Sumo loach

Schistura balteata

Also known as Banded sumo loach, Half-banded loach, Nemacheilus balteatus

FreshwaterFish

Sumo loach (Schistura balteata)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
24 gal
90 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Nemacheilidae
Origin
Native to fast-flowing streams of the Salween basin in Myanmar and neighbouring Thailand, among rocks and gravel in well-oxygenated water.

Overview

The sumo loach is a stocky stream loach for a tank with brisk flow and plenty of caves. It is not quite a beginner fish.

Did you know

The sumo loach is named for the way rival fish shove and body-slam each other over territory, wrestling like sumo.

Caring for the sumo loach

Give the sumo loach a tank of 24 gal (90 L) or more, with brisk flow and clean conditions. It is aggressive and territorial, and it defends a favorite cave or crevice. Provide several hiding spots to spread out the aggression.

Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. The sumo loach is an omnivore and takes sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp.

Keep it singly, as a compatible pair or in a larger group of 10 or more, since small groups of three or four fight. It is nippy and food-driven, so avoid slow, long-finned or timid tank mates. Do not house it with shrimp or tiny fish it can eat.

Good to know

The sumo loach, Schistura balteata, belongs to the stone loach family Nemacheilidae. Much of the trade material may be an undescribed close relative sold under the same name. It wears orange to cream bands over a dark body. Its color shifts with mood and dominance, brightening or fading through the day.

In the wild

The sumo loach is native to fast-flowing streams of the Salween basin, in Myanmar and neighboring Thailand. It lives among rocks and gravel in cool, oxygen-rich water.

Common questions

What size tank does a sumo loach need?

A sumo loach needs at least 24 gal (90 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a sumo loach need?

A sumo loach is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a sumo loach eat?

A sumo loach is an omnivore that takes sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp.

How big does a sumo loach get?

An adult sumo loach reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

Related species