Hillstream Loaches, with their unique, stingray-like appearance, are native to the fast-flowing streams and rivers across Asia.
The most essential part of keeping them alive and healthy is highly oxygenated water, which can be accomplished through high flow or an airstone. Ideally, you want there to be a good flow pattern in your tank that doesn’t have any dead spots and distributes the oxygen all around the tank. While they can breed and live at higher temperatures at 27 degrees C, it is widely thought that they are better suited to live at lower temperatures.
Sewellia lineolate, the reticulated hillstream loach, the most common species sold at pet stores, lives at lower levels of flow and higher levels of temperature compared to many of its other “hillstream loaches” and, as such, can tolerate the higher temperatures better. However, high oxygenation is still key.
Sexing Sewellia lineolate is very easy. They start to show sexual dimorphism at one-third of their adult size, around 1 inch. You sex them by looking at the head pectoral fins. A female has a more rounded fin at the front, while a male has a more rectangular fin at the front. Moreover, the first pectoral fin rays in the males are modified and bumpy. The same goes for the mouth.
When feeding, it is a good idea to feed a mix of meatier foods and veggies. You can feed a mix of live foods, frozen foods, and wafers and gels. Repashy is a popular gel food people buy. When trying to breed the loaches, it can be helpful to feed more meaty foods.