Beavan's Stone Loach Care Guide
Schistura beavani is a South Asian stone loach common in fast streams of India and Nepal, a hardy, territorial bottom-dweller.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Schistura beavani, the creek loach, is a stone loach of the family Nemacheilidae with an elongated body. It is a hardy bottom-dweller common in fast-flowing South Asian streams.
Taxonomy
- Family: Nemacheilidae
- Genus: Schistura
- Scientific name: Schistura beavani (Günther, 1868)
Habitat
FishBase records the species from India and Nepal, with reports from Bangladesh. It is a freshwater, benthopelagic stone loach of tropical fast-flowing streams, sheltering among rocks and gravel in well-oxygenated water.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L
- Temperature: 18-26 °C (64-79 °F)
- pH: 6.5-7.8
- GH: 5-15 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate to strong, oxygenated
- Maximum size: about 10 cm
- Lifespan: 4-6 years
Diet
It is a carnivore (trophic level about 3.0 per FishBase) feeding on small invertebrates. In aquaria it takes live and frozen foods such as bloodworm and Daphnia, along with sinking prepared feeds offered around twice daily.
Compatibility
It is semi-aggressive and territorial; provide caves and broken lines of sight to reduce conflict. Suitable companions are cool-water cyprinids and fish that tolerate moving water; slow-water species should be avoided.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2010).
Beavan's Stone Loach (Schistura beavani) Breeding Guide
Overview
Schistura beavani is a stone loach of the genus Schistura, family Nemacheilidae. Schistura is the most species-rich nemacheilid genus, with over 200 recognised species in streams and rivers of southern and eastern Asia, all adapted to fast-flowing water. Aquarium spawning of this species has not been documented.
Sexing
Sexing in Schistura is subtle and best judged within a group. As documented for the congener Schistura balteata, males may show enlarged mouthparts and 'cheeks', most visible from above or head-on, while females tend to be slightly thicker-bodied, particularly when carrying eggs.
Breeding Setup
Schistura loaches are associated with clear, well-oxygenated, fast-flowing water around watersheds and headwaters, with coarse sand, gravel, rocks and boulders and little aquatic vegetation. Recreating this high-gradient stream is the foundation for any breeding attempt.