Borneo Sucker Fish/ Hillstream Loach

[Baccus]

Just wondering if anyone had any experience or had some good information about breeding these little guys. I recently added another 2 to my collection of 6 and now two of the Borneo suckers seem quite fascinated by each other. One of them has gone a really dark colour while the other one is pale. The darker one keeps following and nudging the pale one. They are in a 4ft tank with heaps of places they can be so it's not like the one being followed and nudged can't get away. In fact the one getting followed seems quite happy with the attention and is staying in the same small area of glass with the one doing all of the nudging. Am I right in thinking that this could be a prelude to them breeding? From the information I have so far read about Borneo Suckers the male will guard the eggs but I have no idea if he also looks after any fry the same way a male brislte nose will. I also don't know if any fry will need any specail foods or other care in order to raise them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mikev]

I am assuming "Borneo Suckers" refer to a Gastromyzon sp.?

If so: they are not easy to breed. This has been accomplished with a couple of species in Germany in 1990s, and there is an article with some details in a German-language magazine. They (like most cyprinids) are egg-scatterers with no parental care and require careful conditioning for spawning.

What you are seeing is more likely to be territorial behavior.

hth