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Thuttinjet stone loach

Nemacheilus stigmofasciatus

Also known as Marked-band stone loach

FreshwaterFish

Thuttinjet stone loach (Nemacheilus stigmofasciatus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–79°F
20–26°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
2.4 in
6 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Nemacheilidae
Origin
Western Ghats streams, Karnataka, India

Overview

The Thuttinjet stone loach is a small, busy bottom dweller for a tank with fast, clean water. It is a step up from a beginner fish.

Did you know

The Thuttinjet stone loach takes its name straight from the map. Thuttinjet is the village and stream in coastal Karnataka where it was first collected. So far, it is the only place the loach has ever been found.

Caring for the Thuttinjet stone loach

Give the Thuttinjet stone loach a tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more, since it needs room to patrol. Lay an open floor of sand and gravel with scattered water-worn stones. Keep that floor clean, which suits the fish and shows off its banded pattern.

Keep the water at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Run a brisk, steady current and keep oxygen high. It spends the day working the substrate, sifting and tasting for food. Feed sinking granules, frozen bloodworm, daphnia and similar small foods.

The Thuttinjet stone loach is peaceful and social, and it does fine alone or in a group. A group spreads out over the open floor and interacts without real friction. Pair it with other calm, current-loving stream fish rather than slow or nippy tank mates. It has not been recorded breeding in tanks.

Good to know

The Thuttinjet stone loach, Nemacheilus stigmofasciatus, belongs to the family Nemacheilidae. It wears a row of dark bands and blotches over a pale gold body. It was described only in 2009, from the Seethanathi River.

In the wild

The Thuttinjet stone loach lives in a fast-flowing stream in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. The river is rocky and drops through cascades and pools over pebbles and boulders.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Thuttinjet stone 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 Thuttinjet stone loach need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Thuttinjet stone loach need?

A Thuttinjet stone loach is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a Thuttinjet stone loach eat?

A Thuttinjet stone loach eats sinking granules, frozen bloodworm, daphnia and similar small foods. It spends the day sifting the substrate for food.

How big does a Thuttinjet stone loach get?

An adult Thuttinjet stone loach reaches about 2.4 in (6 cm).

Related species