Savona Stone Loach

About

The Savona Stone Loach (Schistura savona) is a small, bottom-dwelling fish from the fast-moving, gravel-bottomed streams that drain the eastern Himalayas. Ranging from the Tista drainage near Darjeeling westward through Nepal into the Karnali and Kali river systems of northern India, with records from Bangladesh as well. Its color pattern is what sets it apart: 9 to 10 narrow, yellowish bars cross the upper body against a dark background, while the belly and lower flanks are plain and pale. In the US trade it sometimes shows up under the name 'bicolor loach', and that contrast between top and bottom is exactly why. It belongs to Schistura, the largest genus in the family Nemacheilidae with around 190 described species. A group that occupies everything from Himalayan torrents to cave systems across Eurasia. For a Schistura, this species is relatively easy-going. It is not a true schooling fish, but it settles in better with a few of its own kind present, and with enough hiding spots any squabbling stays minor. Good tankmates include open-water swimmers like danios or rasboras, which seem to draw it out, plus rheophilic loaches and algae-grazing cyprinids that share a similar ecological niche. Breeding has not been recorded in captivity. Overall it is a manageable and rewarding choice for hobbyists looking to add some Himalayan character to a well-filtered setup.