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Encyclopedia / Loaches / Sucker-belly loach
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Variations

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Sucker-belly loach

Gastromyzon punctulatus · Borneo sucker loach, Gastromyzon, Borneo hillstream

Peaceful but territorial; needs high flow, cool temperatures and bright, algae-covered stones.

Shop Gastromyzon punctulatus are usually G. ctenocephalus or G. scitulus.

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6.5 cmBody length, without tail ✓
20–24 °CTemperature ✓
6–7.5pH ✓
54 LSmallest tank ✓
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Not recommended
  • Sucker-belly loach needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Cardinal tetra is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
Not recommended
  • Sucker-belly loach needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Serpae tetra is tropical.
Not recommended
  • Sucker-belly loach needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while X-ray tetra is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 23–24 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

177 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓2–12 dGH
Group size ✓4 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 3–5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful but territorial; needs high flow, cool temperatures and bright, algae-covered stones.

  • current
  • cool

Food

Algae-based foods, frozen bloodworm, biofilm.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Females are larger and heavier-bodied (clearest seen from above or below). Males have a large glandular scale at the pelvic-fin base and, in G. ctenocephalus, tubercles on the head and pectoral fins.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Not bred commercially ·

Very rarely spawned in aquaria. As far as known, eggs are scattered over coarse gravel and develop in the gaps between pebbles, with no parental care.

Pairing

Wild groups are imported; pairing is not controlled in home tanks.

Setup

Species has no reliable captive spawning method; hobby spawnings are rare and unplanned.

What starts it

Unknown in captivity; seasonal rain-type changes are suspected in the wild.

Eggs

In the one documented spawning (Dickmann 2001, fish then called G. punctulatus, now G. scitulus) at least 100 tiny (<1 mm) sinking, non-adhesive eggs hatched in about 3 days.

Raising the fry

Not documented in aquaria.

Common mistakes
  • Expecting easy home breeding
  • Keeping single fish rather than a group
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionNorthern Borneo – Sarawak and Sabah, Malaysia
HabitatFast, clear, rocky forest streams
Native rangeAbout 350 km across
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The story of the sucker-belly loach

A flat, sucker-bellied hillstream loach from Borneo that clings to rocks in fast, clear streams. Most fish sold under this name are actually other spotted Gastromyzon (G. ctenocephalus or G. scitulus); the true species is rarely if ever imported.

Robert Inger and Chin Phui Kong described this loach in 1961, as part of their studies of Borneo's freshwater fishes. Borneo is home to dozens of Gastromyzon species. They cling to rocks with their flat bodies and graze biofilm.

First described by Robert F. Inger & Chin Phui Kong in 1961. Named for 'punctulatus' means 'finely spotted'.

  • Borneo has dozens of Gastromyzon species.
  • It clings to rocks using its flattened body and paired fins.
  • It feeds by scraping biofilm and algae from stones.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources