Qianlabeo
Qianlabeo striatus
Qianlabeo striatus is a tiny, river-dwelling labeonin carp from Guizhou, China (Pearl River drainage) that stays under about 3.5 inches. It is the only species in its genus, and in the aquarium hobby it is basically a "data-poor" fish - you will likely be guessing a bit on care unless you can match it to its exact natural stream conditions.
Qianlabeo striatus exhibits a streamlined body, distinctively patterned with dark vertical stripes against a light background.
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Quick Facts
Size
8.1 cm SL
Temperament
Peaceful
Difficulty
Advanced
Min Tank Size
20 gallons
Lifespan
unknown
Origin
Asia (South China)
Diet
Omnivore/grazer - likely biofilm, algae, and small foods (offer quality small pellets plus frozen foods)
Water Parameters
22-27°C
6.5-7.5
2-12 dGH
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Calculate heater sizeCare Notes
- Give Qianlabeo striatus a long tank with serious current - think river vibe with powerheads, smooth rocks, and open lanes to cruise. They get big and they are built to swim, so cramped tanks turn them into stressed, cranky bulldozers.
- Keep the water cool-leaning tropical and super clean: roughly 22-26 C, pH around 6.5-7.5, and moderate hardness is fine. The real make-or-break is oxygen and waste control, so run heavy filtration and do big, regular water changes.
- Feed like a grazer that also wants protein: algae wafers, blanched veg (zucchini, spinach), and a quality sinking pellet as the staple. Add occasional frozen foods (bloodworms, brine shrimp) but do not turn it into an all-meat diet or they get soft and messy.
- They will rasp surfaces all day, so seed the tank with algae and biofilm and keep driftwood or rounded stones for them to work on. Skip delicate plants unless they are tough and anchored (Anubias, Java fern) because this fish likes to redecorate.
- Tankmates: fast, midwater river fish that can handle flow (danios, barbs, larger rasboras) usually work. Avoid slow long-fins, tiny bite-sized fish, and other similar-shaped bottom grazers (other labeos, many loaches) unless the tank is huge.
- Give them lots of line-of-sight breaks - rock piles, wood, and a few caves - or they will pick a corner and try to own the whole bottom. If you keep more than one, do it only in a big tank with multiple feeding spots, or the weaker one gets bullied off food.
- Watch for skinny backs and pinched bellies: they can look like they are eating while still not getting enough because they get outcompeted. Target feed sinking foods and check that it is actually swallowing, not just mouthing and spitting.
- Breeding in home tanks is basically a lottery - they are seasonal river spawners and usually need big-water triggers. If you ever try, you are looking at heavy flow, lots of oxygen, cooler water changes, and plenty of fine-leaf cover for eggs, but do not expect it to just happen.
Compatibility
Good Tankmates
- Peaceful midwater schoolers like rasboras (harlequins, scissortails) - they stay out of Qianlabeo's way and keep the tank feeling calm
- Small to medium tetras that are not fin-nippy (black neon, rummy-nose, lemon tetra) - good vibe, similar pace, no drama
- Chill bottom buddies like Corydoras - they can share the lower zones fine as long as you have enough floor space and hiding spots
- Loaches with a peaceful attitude (kuhli loaches, small pangio types) - they do their own thing and do not try to boss the algae grazers around
- Other calm Asian community fish like honey gourami or peaceful danios (pearl danio, glowlight danio) - active but not pushy, and they do not compete hard for the same spots
- Snails and shrimp in a planted setup - usually fine if the Qianlabeo is well fed and there is plenty of cover, but baby shrimp can be a snack in any community tank
Avoid
- Anything aggressive or territorial like most cichlids (convicts, jewels, large Central Americans) - they will stress it out and turn it into a hiding machine
- Fin-nippers like tiger barbs and some serpae-type tetras - they hassle peaceful fish and the constant chasing ruins the whole setup
- Big hyper boisterous fish like large rainbowfish or giant danio groups in a small tank - not evil, just too much energy and food competition for a calmer grazer
- Other algae-grazing bottom fish that get cranky about space (Chinese algae eater, some larger 'shark' types) - too much overlap, and the pushier one usually wins
Where they come from
Qianlabeo striatus is one of those riverine Asian labeonins that shows up in the hobby rarely and usually without much real-world info attached. They come from flowing freshwater systems in China, the kind of water with current, rocks, and a steady supply of algae and biofilm to graze. If you set them up like a typical calm community tank, you will be fighting their nature the whole time.
Think like a river: moving water, lots of oxygen, surfaces to graze, and stable temps. That mindset will save you headaches.
Setting up their tank
These fish are why I call the difficulty "advanced." Not because they are fragile in a delicate way, but because they do badly in the average setup. They want space, current, and clean water that is not squeaky sterile. They spend a lot of time on hard surfaces, rasping and cruising, and they get stressed if they cannot establish a routine and a few preferred zones.
- Tank size: I would not bother under 4 feet long. Bigger footprint beats extra height every time for this group.
- Flow: aim for real directional flow across the tank, not just random turbulence. Powerheads or a river-manifold style setup works well.
- Oxygen: heavy surface agitation and strong filtration. They come from water that is constantly re-aerated.
- Hardscape: rounded river rocks, cobbles, and some flat stones. Give them grazing surfaces and visual breaks.
- Substrate: sand or smooth small gravel. Avoid sharp stuff - they spend time close to the bottom.
- Plants: optional. If you use them, pick tough ones (Anubias, Bolbitis) tied to rock/wood. Soft stems get shredded or uprooted.
- Lighting: moderate to bright helps grow natural film and algae, which they actually use.
Let some rocks sit under good light and flow so they grow a nice "fuzz" of algae/biofilm. Rotating a couple stones from a spare tub is a great trick if your display stays too clean.
They hate sudden swings. Keep your maintenance consistent: same water change day, similar temp, and do not let filters clog and then suddenly get cleaned to brand new.
What to feed them
Most people get into trouble by feeding these like a generic bottom fish. Qianlabeo are built to graze. They will eat prepared foods, but the best results come when you treat them like a constant-browser that also takes supplemental meals.
- Daily staples: good quality algae wafers and spirulina-based pellets that sink and hold together in flow.
- Fresh foods: blanched zucchini, spinach, green beans, and cucumber. Clip it to a rock so it stays put in current.
- Protein: small amounts a few times a week (frozen daphnia, brine shrimp, chopped bloodworms). Too much rich food can bloat them and foul the tank fast.
- Natural grazing: encourage biofilm on rocks and wood. This is a big part of their "behavioral nutrition."
Watch the belly shape. A healthy grazer looks smoothly filled, not pinched behind the head. If they are always skinny, it is usually not "worms" - it is that they are not getting enough day-to-day grazing time or they are being outcompeted.
How they behave and who they get along with
Expect a strong personality. They are not a "hide in a cave" pleco type. They will claim zones, especially prime grazing rocks in high flow, and they can get pushy with similar-shaped fish. In a roomy tank with lots of broken sight lines, they are manageable. In a tight tank, they become the tank boss.
- Good tankmates: fast midwater fish that like flow (danios, some barbs, many hillstream-friendly minnows), and robust species that do not get intimidated easily.
- Risky tankmates: other labeo/"shark" types, similar algae-grazing cyprinids, and slow bottom dwellers that want the same rocks.
- Avoid: delicate long-finned fish and slow fancy varieties. They do not mix with "calm community" vibes.
Aggression is usually a layout problem before it is a "bad fish" problem. Add more rocks, add more visual breaks, and spread grazing spots across the whole tank.
Breeding tips
Honestly, breeding Qianlabeo in a home aquarium is not something most hobbyists pull off. A lot of river cyprinids in this group are seasonal spawners that cue off big environmental changes (flow, temperature, water chemistry) and may migrate in the wild. If captive-bred ones exist in the trade, it is likely done in ponds or with hormone support.
If you want to try anyway: you would be looking at a group in a very large setup, heavy feeding, then a simulated "rainy season" with cooler, softer water and a big bump in flow. Even then, do not be surprised if nothing happens.
Common problems to watch for
Most issues I see with this species trace back to three things: not enough oxygen/current, a tank that is too small for their attitude, or a diet that is too meaty and not grazer-focused.
- Chronic hiding or clamped fins: often low oxygen, not enough flow, or they feel exposed. Add flow, add cover, and check temperature (warm water holds less oxygen).
- Getting skinny over time: not enough grazing opportunity or they are being bullied off food. Add more feeding stations and grow more biofilm.
- Bloat/constipation: too much protein, not enough plant matter, or gulping food too fast. Cut rich foods, offer veg, and keep meals smaller but more frequent.
- Scrapes and split fins: rockwork disputes and tight spaces. Smooth your stones and widen "lanes" through the hardscape.
- Ich and other stress outbreaks: usually after a big parameter swing or a new fish addition. Quarantine is your friend with uncommon species.
Do not treat flow-loving fish like they are "bottom cleaners." If your tank has dead spots, mulm buildup, and low surface movement, Qianlabeo tends to go downhill fast.
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