Breeding / Rarely bred at home
Rarely bred at home · Hard
Breeding the hillstream loach
Has been bred in aquaria (first in 2006) in mature, fast-flowing tanks; courtship and spawning are still poorly documented. Fry are raised on infusoria, then baby brine shrimp.
Step by step
Pairing
Keep a group in a cool, fast-flowing tank.
Breeding tank
Strong flow, clean cool well-oxygenated water, rocks with biofilm.
What starts it
Cool water and strong flow.
Eggs and young
Small clutches reported rarely. Hatch in a few days.
Raising the fry
Very fine foods and biofilm.
Common mistakes
- Warm, still water
- Low oxygen
- Too little biofilm
Male or female
Seen from above, males are slimmer with a squarer snout and pectoral fins held at near right angles to the body; mature males grow small raised 'fences' of tubercles on the pectoral fins. Females have a broader body.
Can I breed it in my tank?
- This species is rarely bred in home tanks.
- Hard: for experienced breeders.