Hasselt's Spiny Loach

Lepidocephalus hasselti is a compact and delicately patterned cobitid from the lowland streams and rice paddies of Java, Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. Its faint banding and soft colouration make it a subtle but attractive bottom-dwelling species, and its hardiness makes it a reliable choice for Southeast Asian biotope aquariums. Kept in groups, it will emerge regularly from hiding to forage openly on soft substrate.

Water: 22-28°C, pH 6.0-7.0, soft, gentle to no flow, planted conditions. Tank: Minimum 60 L, fine sand substrate, aquatic plants, leaf litter. Feeding: Micro-sinking pellets, daphnia, frozen brine shrimp nauplii, worms. Behaviour: Gentle and sociable in groups; active during low-light periods. Compatibility: Peaceful; excellent with small Southeast Asian community fish.