Reticulated Hillstream Loach (Sewellia lineolata)
The Reticulated Hillstream Loach (Sewellia lineolata) known to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts as the Spotted Sucker, Tiger Hillstream Loach, Gold Ring Butterfly Sucker, Butterfly Hillstream Loach, or Spotted Loach is found among the shallow riffles, river rapids, and the slower moving stream pools in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.
The Reticulated Hillstream Loach is a hardy, peaceful species that can tolerate a wide range of water parameters. In their natural Vietnamese environment of densely rock strewn riffles with sparse vegetation; heavy rainfalls frequently occur that stirs up sediment causing wide fluctuations in water conditions. Sewellia lineolata are hardy enough to easily survive these wide ranging environmental conditions.
Reticulated Hillstream Loach (Sewellia lineolata)
The Reticulated Hillstream Loach has a streamlined body shape that resembles a miniature stingray and a flat underside with horizontal wing like fins that enable them to tightly grip the smooth rocks and withstand the rushing rapids of their environment.
They have a brown to light gray body color covered with light colored spots and dark brown to black reticulated striped patterns.
The Reticulated Hillstream Loach is a peaceful species that is best kept in groups of 3 or more individuals in a well established tank of at least 30 gallon capacity, with a sandy substrate covered with a dense layer of varied sized river rocks, some driftwood, and a few plants to replicate their natural environment. Hillstream Loaches can easily climb out of your aquarium, so use a tight fitting aquarium hood or top.
Although they prefer good water quality with highly oxygenated water to thrive and a good filtration system, a powerhead to provide a strong current, and regular water changes are highly recommended; the Reticulated Hillstream Loach has been successfully housed and bred in hot water tanks with clown loaches, unheated goldfish setups, and even heavily planted tanks with gentle sponge filters, without any problems.
Although all species of Hillstream Loaches do well in community setups, males will occasionally spar with each other if the tank is too small or doesn’t have enough cover.
The Reticulated Hillstream Loach will get along with most similarly sized community fish. They can be kept with goldfish, livebearers, shrimp, snails, tetras, danios, and other schooling fish without any problems.
Suitable tankmates include Borneo Suckers, White Cloud Mountain Minnows, Danios, Cherry Barbs, Corydoras, and Nerite snails. All these species are peaceful fish that have similar water requirements to Reticulated Hillstream Loaches
Although the Reticulated Hillstream Loach can be bred in an aquarium environment, it is difficult. Because most Sewellia lineolata are sold to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts from retailers as juveniles, it is difficult to sex a pair. In general, females have a wider head and a plumper body. Males have a more jagged silhouette at the pectoral fins near their shoulders. The best way to determine a pair for breeding purposes is to purchase six or more and watch for two to pair off.
Place a breeding pair in an established aquarium with plenty of rocks with algae, mulm, and infusoria and ensure that they get plenty of food. When ready to breed, the male does a little dance and the pair will smooth out a bed in the gravel to lay their eggs. The eggs hatch out in a few days into to tiny fry that can be fed infusoria, microworms, vinegar eels, baby brine shrimp and powered fry foods. Cover your pre filter with a sponge to prevent any fry from being sucked up or collect the fry into a breeder box to keep them from predation.
In their natural environment, the Reticulated Hillstream Loach uses its sucker like mouth to feed on algae, small crustaceans, detritus, and other organisms living on the rocks in the river bottom. In an established aquarium environment they will scrape off anything that grows on the rocks, driftwood, plant leaves, or walls of the tank including hair algae, diatom algae, and even the dreaded black beard algae. However, supplemental feedings of high quality sinking carnivore pellets, frozen spirulina, algae wafers, freeze dried bloodworms, tubifex, brine shrimp and blanched vegetables are recommended, particularly if you plan to breed them.
The Reticulated Hillstream Loach (Sewellia lineolata) is available to tropical fish keeping enthusiasts from a variety of retailers and online sellers at approximate purchase sizes: 1″ – 2 1/2″ with prices starting at $ 14.99
Reticulated Hillstream Loach (Sewellia lineolata)
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Aquarium Hardiness: Hardy
Water Conditions: 64-78° F, KH 10-15, pH 6.5 -7.8
Max. Size: 3”
Color Form: Brown, Black, Green
Diet: Omnivore
Compatibility: Good community tank fish
Origin: Southeast Asia
Family: Balitoridae
life span of about 8 – 10 years
Aquarist Experience Level: Intermediate
