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Edit Lepidocephalichthys tomaculum

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Name

Scientific name

Lepidocephalichthys tomaculum

Described by

Authority Kottelat & Lim, Year 1992

Family

Cobitidae

Common names

Not recorded

Photograph credits

All 3 credited

Summary

Lepidocephalichthys tomaculum is a small cobitid loach from Peninsular Malaysia, with a single tentative record from Lampung Province, Suma…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

39mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 45 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 23–29°C, pH 3.5–7

Hardness

0–8dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Not recorded

Social needs

A shoal or group

Community suitability

Not for a community

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Indonesia, Malaysia, Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Bernam

Writing

Etymology

tomaculum: from the Latin tomaculum, meaning 'sausage', in reference to the name 'sausage loach' which the authors had used to refer to this species prior to i…

Distribution

Recorded from the states of Selangor, Pahang, Johor and Terengganu in Peninsular Malaysia, with type locality 'Stream at 34-kilometer mark on road from Sungai …

Habitat

Inhabits shallow, slow-moving sections of streams or calm habitats such as freshwater or peat swamps, oxbows, and backwaters. These are typically heavily-veget…

Aquarium size

Base dimensions of 45 ∗ 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 typically sifting mouthfuls of substrate through the gills from which insect larvae, small crustaceans and suchlike are extracted. In t…

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 species is not traded often but may be available occasionally bycatch among shipments of other species. It can be told apart from congeners most easily by…

References

References

11 on this profile