Family: Balitoridae
Gastromyzon scitulus — a Balitoridae from Borneo, peaceful grazer; squabbles are brief pushes. Reaches 3.4–5 cm; loosely social; crowding causes endless pushing. 19–23 °C.
Gastromyzon scitulus, a member of the family Balitoridae, comes from Borneo, where it inhabits fast-flowing mountain streams, clinging to rocks. Peaceful grazer; squabbles are brief pushes and algae and biofilm specialist; supplement with wafers, it grows to 3.4–5 cm and adapts well to a properly set-up aquarium in the 19–23 °C range. Other Gastromyzon species in our database include Gastromyzon ctenocephalus, Gastromyzon farragus, Gastromyzon punctulatus.
Intermediate difficulty. Peaceful grazer; squabbles are brief pushes; loosely social; crowding causes endless pushing.
Aim for 19–23 °C. Cool, highly oxygenated water; 19.0–23.0 °C typical for the genus.
Expect 3.4–5 cm as an adult, living bottom-dwelling on rock surfaces. A 30 L tank or larger gives it room.
Algae and biofilm specialist; supplement with wafers. Vary the menu — quality flakes or pellets plus frozen or live foods.
Peaceful grazer; squabbles are brief pushes. Recommended tankmates: Other cool-water stream fish — Share the need for oxygen and flow. Avoid Large aggressive cichlids — Disrupt the calm grazing regime.
Its home waters are Borneo — fast-flowing mountain streams, clinging to rocks, with very strong, highly oxygenated current.
In the aquarium: breeding rarely reported in aquaria; presumed egg-scatterer. Difficult to distinguish.