Super Convict

About

Known in the ornamental trade as the 'super convict', this bottom-dwelling nemacheilid loach from the Kyeinthali River in Rakhine, Myanmar is one of those species that slips through without much fanfare but rewards the keeper who pays attention. It belongs to Schistura, the largest genus in the family Nemacheilidae, which currently counts around 190 species and keeps growing as new ones turn up regularly across Asia. What sets this particular species apart from close relatives is a combination of a distinctly deep caudal peduncle, a deeply forked tail with noticeably elongated outer rays, and a row of six to eight clean, regular bars along the flanks. Adult males develop a small suborbital flap while females show a corresponding groove, making sex determination relatively straightforward once you know what to look for. In the aquarium it is one of the calmer members of an often feisty genus, and a community setup can work well as long as tankmates are chosen thoughtfully. Rheophilic loaches and open-water cyprinids are natural pairings that reflect the fast-flowing, oxygen-rich stream habitats it comes from in the wild. Keeping a small group rather than a lone individual tends to reduce any low-level squabbling and brings out more natural behavior. Breeding has not been documented in captivity.