Dwarf Horse-faced Loach

About

A small but characterful bottom-dweller from the rivers, lakes, and swamps of Malaysia, Borneo, and the Mekong basin, Acanthopsoides molobrion belongs to a group sometimes called dwarf horse-faced loaches for their close resemblance to the longer-snouted Acantopsis loaches they often share habitat with. The species is identified by a row of mid-dorsal blotches running from snout to tail base, a mid-lateral blotch row along the flanks, and three distinct bands in the caudal fin. A useful starting point since several Acanthopsoides species look very similar and the genus is notoriously tricky to pin down in the trade. One thing worth knowing before handling or netting this fish: like all cobitid loaches it carries a sharp, bifid spine beneath each eye that can spring outward when the fish is stressed, snagging nets and occasionally breaking skin on larger relatives. Despite the aggressive and territorial tags on its care sheet, hobbyist experience consistently describes this species as peaceable with tankmates, provided those companions are chosen thoughtfully. It is highly social within its own kind, so a group of six or more is really the way to go. Upper-water schooling fish make ideal companions, and species from its native waters, small rasboras and Pangio loaches, are a natural fit. Breeding in captivity is barely documented, so treat any spawning attempt as genuinely exploratory territory.