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Guntea Loach

Lepidocephalichthys guntea

Freshwater South Asia

A speckled sand loach from northern India that can supplement respiration by gulping atmospheric air. It spends hours submerged beneath soft substrate, tracking insect larvae with its sensory barbels. Provide a fine sandy bottom free of sharp gravel edges to avoid damaging its sensitive snout and barbels.

Also called: Guntea loach, Loach.

12 cm adult length, drawn to scale. eel body.

Try it in the planner Opens a tank sized to its minimum with 5 fish added.

What it needs

ItemValueBecause
Adult length 12 cm Used for the Space check: the tank must be long enough for the fish to turn round.
Smallest tank 100 L, at least 80 cm long estimated The least water and floor length this species is kept in for good, as a single fish or smallest group.
Extra water per added fish 10 L estimated What each further fish adds once the minimum is met.
Waste load Class 2 of 5 estimated How much waste an adult makes against its size. Feeds the Load check.
Temperature 20 to 26 C Stock sharing a tank need overlapping ranges.
pH 6.5 to 7.8 Compared with tankmates in the Water check.
Hardness GH 5 to 15, KH 3 to 8 Degrees of general and carbonate hardness.
Flow Low Low-flow fish are stressed in a strong current.
Light Dim Matched to the lighting class on the needs sheet.
Group size At least 5, ideally 8 Kept alone or in small numbers it hides, fades or turns on tankmates.
Temperament Peaceful Not territorial.
Swims in Near the bottom Fish that use different levels share a tank more easily.
Lifespan About 6 years A fish is a long commitment.
Experience Suits a first tank A guide to how forgiving the species is of mistakes.
Jumps Yes Keep the tank covered.

Tags marked estimated are judged from the size and habits of the species rather than measured, so treat them as a sensible default.

Diet and tank layout

Guntea Loach is an omnivore that swims in the lowest part of the tank. It is safe with plants. Give it plenty of cover. It digs, so anchor plants and keep hard rock off loose sand.

Tankmates

Works with

No close matches in the data. Check the pair tool.

Depends

Avoid

Compare any two fish on the compatibility page, or print the equipment for a stock on the needs sheet. How this is worked out: the method.