Sumo loach
Schistura balteata
- Adult size
- 6 cm2 in
- Start with
- 1
- Tank length
- 36 cm14 in
- Lifespan
- 5–8 yrs
- Temperature
- 23–26 °C73–79 °F
- pH
- 6–7.5
- Hardness
- 1–12 dGH
- Diet
- carnivore
Territorial among its own kind; give strong current, high oxygen and many rock caves, keeping either one or several.Territorial among its own kind; give strong current, high oxygen and many rock caves, keeping either one or several.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Brevis shell dweller
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Caudopunctatus
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Irian Jaya rainbowfish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Multies
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Pindani
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Rusty cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Saulosi cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Similis shell dweller
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Afra cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- African knifefish
African knifefish may eat Sumo loachAfrican knifefish may eat Sumo loach
- African pike
African pike may eat Sumo loachAfrican pike may eat Sumo loach
Sources
| temperature | 23–26 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
|---|---|---|
| ph | 6–7.5 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| gh | 1–12 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium |
| origin | Hill streams of Thailand and Myanmar | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| notes | Territorial among its own kind; give strong current, high oxygen and many rock c | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| beginner friendly | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| color palette | #D8C88A, #2A2A2A | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| activity | active | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| swim zone | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| temperament | semi-aggressive | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| fin nipper | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| long finned | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| territorial | true | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| schooling | false | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| schooling min | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| lifespan years | 5–8 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| growth to adult months | 10 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| length weight | {"a":0.008,"b":3} | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low |
| planted safe | true | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |
| body shape | loach | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium |