Hillstream Loach

[Rex740]

Hey everybody, I just went to this huge pet store and they had something I have always wanted... a hillstream loach! It was labeled as borneo loach and i dont know what species it is specifically (i think its the Beaufortia species). I just have a couple questions.

1. The guy I asked said he tried keeping them a couple times, and they always died on him. Are they very hard to take care of?

2. Feeding... The same guy said he had never seen his hillstreams on the floor of the tank. I have algae tablets... will it go on the ground at night and eat them? Twice a week, at night when the lights are off, i put two algae tablets in for my 2 dojo loaches and my farlowella (twig catfish). If I continue this, will the hillstream loach go to the bottom of the tank at night and feed with them?

3. Any advice and tips about these fish from anybody who has or has had them would be nice please.

 

[Rex740]

Actually its not Beaufortia. Im very unsure. Its might be Gastromyzon scitulus or Gastromyzon ctenocephalus. I cant really see a difference.

 

[Lateral Line]

We have a couple of good hillstream keepers on the board, I'm sure they'll be along with specific advice. Generally they don't survive long in a typical tropical tank. They are hill stream fish meaning they generally want cooler water, a current and very high Oxygen levels. They graze algae from pebbles and rocks.

If you use the search function, you'll find several threads about them.

 

[slakey]

I had one before and it died about 1-2 days after having it.
Think the fish man stressed it out abit too much.

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

You may find this site useful http/www.loaches.com/articles/hillstream...n-the-fast-lane

Emma

 

[mikev]

Cheers.

Hillstreams are highly entertaining but require special care.

Firstly, you need an appropriate tank. A simply tropical community will not work. A proper tank should, as LL said above:
1. Run at a lower temp.
2. Have high O2
3. Have very strong current.
4. Ideally, should be an established tank with algae.

Here is a high current area where my Sewellia's and Beaufortia's are getting fresh air:

Secondly, hillstreams IME carry lots of diseases. It is common for new hillstreams to die within a few days or weeks even in the most appropriate tank due to either diseases or stress of shipment or inappropriate conditions at the store. Quarantining is an absolute must.

As for food: Gastros and Beaufortia's here eat a mix of algae/veggie wafers, flakes, frozen bloodworms, frozen shrimp, etc. I vary the food, and at least the Gastros also eat some of the natural algae in the tank.

IME either Gastro's and Beaufortia's are relatively easy comparing to some other hillstreams.

hth

 

[Rex740]

Im not sure if he will be good in my tank. I dont know much about my filter since my dad bought it 7 years ago, but he says it adds oxygen as it filters. Theres also a mild current on the top of the tank. On the first day i have had him, he was just sitting behind a plant like he was miserable. Now, later on in the second day, he is actively searching for food all over the glass. Does this mean that he's happy and will be ok and survive in my tank?

 

[mikev]

Does this mean that he's happy and will be ok and survive in my tank?

Not really; sticking to the glass does not yet mean it is eating. If it is healthy (and it would take you about a month to know), it will likely last for a few months; in good conditions hillstreams can live for a few years.

To make it comfortable, you need to provide -- as said above -- lower temp (<=75F ideally), O2, and strong flow at least in parts of the tank. Oxygen is best supplied by surface water motion: the water surface should have "waves", not stay still.

Look at the surface (the fish is a different type of hillstreams) :

It does not have to be this strong, but hopefully you get the idea.

You can get a powerhead and position it so that part of the tank has strong flow, this way other fish will have quiet areas. And keep the temp as low as possible for the other fish. The best course of action, however, is to get a smaller tank and make it suitable for the loach; it will do much better in a proper 15g-20g than in a community 48g.

Good luck: hillstreams are very entertaining but you must provide suitable conditions.

 

[loachman]

I don't think they are especially hard to care for. But that being said, they won't do well in a generic tropical tank.

They need a specialized tank with alot of water movement/oxygen and cooler water temps to do well.

 

[Rex740]

I have waves. Not as big as those, but I do have waves. Does this mean I have suitabe oxygen levels for the hillstream loach?

 

[mikev]

I have waves. Not as big as those, but I do have waves. Does this mean I have suitabe oxygen levels for the hillstream loach?

Maybe; this is actually the most important component. You don't need "as big as those" in most cases, just some. You also need some current, at least in parts of the tank, including the bottom. One way you can see if you have enough if flakes and poop do not stay on the ground at least in some areas of the tank but get carried away.

And what is the temp of your tank anyway?

 

[Rex740]

Current is only on top. Its atleast half the top region and when I put flakes, the flakes go swirling all over the surface top of the water since there is current. I figured temperature wont hurt so much since i have dojo loaches (cold water just liek hillstreams) and the ydo fine in my tank. Im guessing hillstreams might be more sensitive? The temperature is 80 (it used to be 78, but i guess it raised).

 

[mikev]

Hillstreams are more sensitive than dojo's.

OK. Try to keep your temp lower, 75F is generally the upper limit for hillstreams. It is also better for the dojo.
Secondly, if you can afford it: get a large rock (or a piece of driftwood) and a powerhead, put the powerhead in so it creates strong flow over the top of rock/driftwood, see the photo on top. This will create an area of strong current for the fish. Connect an airline to the powerhead, this will increase the O2 level a bit further.

This is not a proper solution, but perhaps it will be sufficient for the loach to be comfortable.

 

[Rex740]

I cant really buy any powerhead or anything. I can lower the temp to 78 (I have other fish that like it there). When its on the glass and I can see its underbelly, sometimes his mouh opens and closes repeatedly. Does this mean there isnt enough oxygen?

 

[mikev]

Probably means there is something on the glass it eats...like algae.