Edit Lepidocephalichthys guntea
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Name
Scientific name
Lepidocephalichthys guntea
Described by
Authority Hamilton, Year 1822, Bracketed
Family
Cobitidae
Common names
Not recorded
Photograph credits
All 20 credited
Summary
Lepidocephalichthys guntea is a cobitid loach from the Ganges and Brahmaputra systems of northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh, and much of …
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
150mm, standard length
Aquarium size
Minimum length 80 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 20–25°C, pH 6–8
Hardness
2–12dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Not recorded
Social needs
A shoal or group
Community suitability
Community-safe
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Ayeyarwady, Brahmaputra, Ganges, Koshi, Lake Indawgyi, Salween
Writing
Etymology
Not written yet
Distribution
Widespread throughout the Ganges and Brahmaputra river systems in northern India, Nepal and Bangladesh with type locality given simply as 'Bengal', and also oc…
Habitat
Most commonly found in shallow, slow-moving sections of streams or calm habitats such as swamps, oxbows, backwaters and paddy fields. These are often heavily-v…
Aquarium size
Base dimensions of 80 ∗ 30 cm or more are required.
Maintenance
Not difficult to keep but must be provided with a soft, sandy substrate since some of its time will be spent completely buried, or with only eyes protruding. W…
Water conditions
Not written yet
Diet
Chiefly a micropredator sifting mouthfuls of substrate through the gills from which insect larvae, small crustaceans and suchlike are extracted. In the aquariu…
Behaviour and compatibility
Lepidocephalichthys spp. are peaceful both with one another and other fishes and there exist no reports of them harming tankmates though they may prey on eggs …
Sexual dimorphism
In mature males the pectoral fins are enlarged with fused, thickened innermost (7th and 8th) rays forming a structure known as the lamina circularis. This gene…
Reproduction
Presumably a seasonal spawner in nature but hasn't been bred in captivity as far as we know.
Notes
This is one of the most frequently-traded members of the group and is an excellent choice for those new to keeping loaches. It's distinguishable from congeners…
References
References
9 on this profile