Edit Gastromyzon monticola

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Name

Scientific name

Gastromyzon monticola

Described by

Authority Vaillant, Year 1889, Bracketed

Family

Gastromyzontidae

Common names

Not recorded

Photograph credits

All 12 credited

Summary

Gastromyzon monticola is a hillstream loach from streams draining Mount Kinabalu into Marudu Bay, and the Wariu basin, in Sabah, Malaysian …

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

85mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 75 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm, Water movement High: fast-flowing river or riffle

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 20–24°C, pH 6–8.5

Hardness

1–12dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Peaceful

Community suitability

Not for a community

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Malaysia, Borneo, Kinarom, Tempasuk, Wariu

Writing

Etymology

Gastromyzon: from the Greek gaster, meaning 'stomach' and myzo, meaning 'to suckle'. monticola: from the Latin monti, meaning 'montane', and cola, meaning 'lik…

Distribution

Known only from streams emptying into Marudu Bay, Kudat Division, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo and the Wariu River basin a little further west. The type series was …

Habitat

Gastromyzon spp. are obligate dwellers of swift, shallow streams containing clear, oxygen-saturated water and have been recorded from sea level to 1350 m amsl …

Aquarium size

An aquarium with base dimensions of 75 ∗ 30 cm or equivalent should be large enough to house a group.

Maintenance

Most importantly the water must be clean and well-oxygenated so we suggest the use of an over-sized filter as a minimum requirement. Turnover should ideally be…

Water conditions

Temperature: For general care 20 – 24 °C is recommended but it can withstand warmer conditions provided dissolved oxygen levels are maintained. At the locality…

Diet

Much of the natural diet is likely to be composed of benthic algae plus associated micro-organisms which are rasped from solid surfaces. In captivity it will a…

Behaviour and compatibility

Very peaceful although its environmental requirements limit the selection of suitable tankmates somewhat, plus it should not be housed with any much larger, mo…

Sexual dimorphism

Unreported but in congeners observed over time in aquaria adult females are noticeably heavier-bodied and often a little larger than males; the differences bei…

Reproduction

Observations were made by German aquarist Philipp Dickmann and published in a hobbyist magazine during 2001. He collected wild specimens of both G. monticola a…

Notes

This species has probably not been seen in the aquarium trade yet but has occasionally been maintained by private collectors. It can be distinguished from cong…

This species has probably not been seen in the aquarium trade yet but has occasionally been maintained by private collectors.

It can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characters: dorsal surface of body spotted with wavy bars on flanks; dorsal surface of head with brown spots; secondary rostrum absent; complete postoral pouch present; subopercular groove absent; gill opening vertical; sublacrymal groove present; snout rounded when viewed dorsally; no scales on abdomen; 60-69 lateral line scales; pelvic-fin not overlapping anal-fin origin; adpressed dorsal-fin not overlapping level of anal-fin origin.

Gastromyzon spp. are placed into various species groups, putative assemblages of species which may or may not be monophyletic, for ease of reference.

G. monticola is included in the G. borneensis group which also contains G. borneensis, G. cornusaccus, G. ornaticauda, G. cranbrooki, G. extrorsus, G. introrsus and G. bario.

Members are defined by a combination of various characters of which the most useful for identification of live specimens include presence of a secondary rostrum (a projection above the snout, heavily tuberculated in adults), generally large adult size of 70 – 95 mm2.8 – 3.7 in SL, a vertical gill slit, lack of scales on the abdomen, body with cream vertical bars (except G. borneensis which has brown bars), caudal-fin with barred patterning (except G. ornaticauda which has a dark central stripe with lighter patches above and below) and a lower lip with large, densely-packed, branching papillae.

The current arrangement of species groups is as follows:

G. borneensis group: G. borneensis, G. monticola, G. ornaticauda, G. cranbrooki, G. cornusaccus, G. extrorsus, G. introrsus, G. bario.
G. punctulatus group: G. aeroides, G. punctulatus, G. katibasensis.
G. fasciatus group: G. fasciatus, G. praestans.
G. contractus group: G. contractus, G. megalepis, G. umbrus.
G. ctenocephalus group: G. ctenocephalus, G. scitulus.
G. lepidogaster group: G. lepidogaster, G. psiloetron.
G. ridens group: G. ridens, G. crenastus, G. stellatus, G. zebrinus.
G. danumensis group: G. danumensis, G. aequabilis, G. ingeri.
G. pariclavis group: G. pariclavis, G. embalohensis, G. venustus, G. spectabilis, G. russulus, G. viriosus.
G. ocellatus group: G. ocellatus, G. farragus.
G. auronigrus group: G. auronigrus.

Gastromyzon spp. have specialised morphology adapted to life in fast-flowing water. The paired fins are orientated horizontally, head and body flattened, and pelvic fins fused together.

These features form a powerful sucking cup which allows the fish to cling tightly to solid surfaces. The ability to swim in open water is greatly reduced and they instead 'crawl' their way over and under rocks.

The family Gastromyzontidae is currently considered valid as per Kottelat (2012).

It contains a number of genera which had formerly been included in several families and subfamilies, most recently Balitoridae, of which the most well-known in the aquarium hobby include Beaufortia, Formosania, Gastromyzon, Pseudogastromyzon, Hypergastromyzon, Liniparhomaloptera, Sewellia, and Vanmanenia.

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My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

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References

6 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References