Anteridorsal Homatula loach

Where they come from

Homatula anteridorsalis is one of those true hillstream-style loaches from China - think cool, fast, oxygen-rich tributaries with rocks, gravel, and a lot of current. They are built for clinging, darting, and wedging themselves into little gaps, not floating around in warm, slow community tanks.

If you have ever kept other Homatula or similar stream loaches, you will recognize the vibe: they act like they own the bottom, and they feel most confident when the tank feels like a riverbed.

Setting up their tank

This is an advanced fish mostly because the setup is non-negotiable. Give them flow, oxygen, and stable water, and they settle in. Put them in a warm, low-flow tank and they tend to fade over time.

• Tank size: I would not do these in anything under a 30 gallon footprint, and bigger is better if you want a real group.
• Flow: strong. You want the whole tank moving, not just a gentle ripple in one corner.
• Oxygen: high. Surface agitation plus good filtration. An air stone is not a bad idea even if you have decent flow.
• Temperature: cool to mid range (roughly 68-74F / 20-23C). I avoid keeping them in tanks that live at 78F+.
• Substrate: smooth sand or fine rounded gravel, with lots of fist-sized rounded stones and cobble.
• Decor: rock piles, crevices, and driftwood that breaks line of sight. They love claiming little caves.
• Lighting: whatever you like, but some shaded areas help them feel secure.

They appreciate clean water and they are not forgiving about old, dirty substrate. I have had the best luck keeping nitrates low and doing consistent water changes rather than huge, sporadic ones.

What to feed them

They are not algae grazers in the way a hillstream loach is. Mine did pick at biofilm, but they stayed in better weight when I treated them like micro-predators that hunt the bottom all day.

• Staples: sinking wafers, high-quality micro pellets, and small sinking carnivore pellets
• Frozen: bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia, chopped blackworms, and mysis (if they can handle the size)
• Live (great for conditioning): blackworms, grindal worms, live daphnia
• Occasional: Repashy-style gel foods (they usually learn it quickly if other fish eat it)

Feed after lights-out sometimes. In a busy tank, they can get outcompeted even if they look bold. I like two smaller feedings instead of one big dump, and I spread food across the bottom so the bossy one cannot park on it.

How they behave and who they get along with

They are social, but not gentle about it. Expect chasing, posturing, and the occasional scrappy moment, especially around favorite caves. In my experience a bigger group spreads that attitude out and you get fewer repeat bullies.

• Group size: 5-8+ if you have the room. A trio can turn into one fish getting picked on.
• Temperament: assertive bottom-dweller, but usually not a fin-nipper in open water.
• Best tankmates: other current-loving fish that can handle cooler water (danios, white clouds, some barbs), and peaceful midwater fish that will not sit on the bottom.
• Avoid: slow, long-finned fish; warm-water species; tiny shrimp (they will snack if they can); and very territorial bottom fish that want the same real estate.

Rocks and broken sightlines matter a lot for behavior. If the tank is a flat open runway, they will chase. If it is a maze of stones and little caves, they still bicker, but it is more like quick arguments instead of constant stress.

Breeding tips

Breeding Homatula in home tanks is not super common, but it is not a total fantasy either if you keep a real group and you get the seasonal cues close. Most of what I have seen and heard lines up with: heavy feeding, cooler water, then a big cool water change that mimics rain and kicks them into gear.

• Keep a group with mature fish and plenty of caves/rock gaps.
• Condition with lots of live/frozen foods for a few weeks.
• Trigger attempt: slightly cooler period, then a large cooler water change with extra flow and oxygen.
• If you get eggs or fry: protect them from the adults (separate tank or egg trap setup), because they will not hesitate to eat them.

Common problems to watch for

Most problems I have had with these were really "setup problems" showing up as fish problems. They tend to look fine... until they do not.

• Low oxygen / not enough flow: hanging near the surface, lethargy, poor appetite, and generally dull behavior.
• Too warm for too long: gradual weight loss, more hiding, and they just look tired all the time.
• Skinny fish after purchase: can be internal parasites or just shipping stress. Treat carefully and focus on getting them eating well first.
• Ich and other parasites: stream fish can come in carrying stuff. Quarantine is your friend.
• Injuries from squabbles: torn fins and scraped sides if there are not enough hiding spots or if the tank is too small.

If you are seeing one loach lose weight while the others look fine, assume food competition first. Feed in multiple spots, use sinking foods that get into crevices, and try a few after-dark feedings. That simple change has saved more than one fish for me.