Scientific name: Schistura notostigma (Bleeker, 1863)
Common name: Spotback Loach, Banded Mountain Loach
Synonyms: Nemacheilus notostigma, Noemacheilus notostigma, Nemachilus notostigma
Distribution: Kanneliya Forest and Gin Gana in the Upper Nanikita Ela, the Sabaragamuwa province and Teldeniya, Sri Lanka
Sexual Dimorphism: Not known
Maximum size: 3 inches (8cm)
Similar to: Other Schistura
Care: The aquarium should have a decent flow rate and be well-oxygenated. A substrate of fine sand to allow digging and lots of smooth rounded pebbles and numerous shelters such as bogwood and slate. Reasonably bright lighting to simulate the shallow stream beds in which they are found.
Feeding: Most foods accepted. Commercial sinking formulations and bottom-dwelling live-foods. Frozen foods such as Bloodworm, Brine shrimp, Daphnia. Avoid over-feeding as they are very greedy.
Water parameters: pH: 6.0-7.5 Hardness: Soft-medium Max dh: 12
Temperature: 71.6ºF to 78.8 ºF (22-26°C)
Breeding: None reported in aquarium
Notes: Lives in pebble-bottomed streams with shallow, fast-flowing water, and often found at fairly high altitudes. May arrive mixed with other Nemacheilus or Schistura species. Likely to be territorial and should be kept with robust, fast-swimming fish.
Caption: Schistura notostigma
Credit: Bernd Terletzki (used with permission)