Home / Fishes / Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches / Nemacheilidae / Blind cave loach
No federal permit to keepBlind cave loach
Nemacheilus troglocataractus
Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Nemacheilidae (Stone loaches)
The Blind cave loach (Nemacheilus troglocataractus) is a species of troglobitic stone loach endemic to Thailand.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.7 in / 6.77 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Behaviour: temperament territorial; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Diet: “Unconfirmed but likely to consist largely of benthic invertebrates.”
- Tankmates: “This species is apparently territorial to an extent with specimens maintained together in aquaria exhibiting a degree of aggression towards one another.”
- Breeding: “Unrecorded in aquaria and no reports exist regarding the natural cycle.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Stone loaches
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Eurasian stone loaches include oxygen-rich stream dwellers such as Schistura and small Vietnamese river species such as the hovering zebra loach. [fg157-sumo, fg157-hover]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- For Schistura balteata groups use a floor at least 90 × 30 cm (36 × 12 in).
- Build a stream layout with sand, rounded rocks and driftwood forming numerous caves and broken sight lines.
- Use strong filtration, aeration and some flow for Schistura; change 30–50% of water weekly.
- For hovering zebra loaches use at least 60 × 30 cm (24 × 12 in), dense plants and well-oxygenated but non-turbulent water.
- Introduce hovering zebra loaches only to a biologically mature aquarium; pH 6.0–7.5 and hardness 2–12 dGH suit both profiled species.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 71.6–78.8°F |
Diet
- Small live or frozen Daphnia and Artemia.
- Bloodworms for Schistura.
- Moina, microworms and Artemia nauplii for hovering zebra loaches.
- Appropriately sized dried foods alongside invertebrates, not as the sole Schistura diet.
Social life
- Schistura defend individual caves and can harass placid bottom dwellers; groups require territories. Hovering zebra loaches are peaceful and need at least 8–10 companions.
Health watch
- Territorial fin injuries in poorly structured Schistura tanks.
- Freshwater ich, a general aquarium risk.
- Stress-associated bacterial infections.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is only known from one subterranean stream in the Sai Yok Noi cave, which also is inhabited by Pterocryptis buccata. The blind cave loach has no eyes and lacks pigmentation.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Blind cave loach” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in caves. Uses both the bottom and open water. Cave-restricted species. Inhabits headwater stream with a relatively low volume of water flowing over rocks, alternating with small pools and gravel-bottomed shallow reaches. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: open water/substratum egg scatterers. |
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The Blind cave loach (Nemacheilus troglocataractus) is a species of troglobitic stone loach endemic to Thailand. It is only known from one subterranean stream in the Sai Yok Noi cave, which also is inhabited by Pterocryptis buccata. The blind cave loach has no eyes and lacks pigmentation. Despite its common name, there are several other species of blind cave-living loaches. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Inhabits headwater stream with a relatively low volume of water flowing over rocks, alternating with small pools and gravel-bottomed shallow reaches. Few individuals were seen adhering to rocks in fast-flowing, well-aerated water or swimming in the pools. Exhibits agonistic behavior upon encounter. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Schistura balteata Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Micronemacheilus cruciatus (formerly Yunnanilus cruciatus) Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Disorders and Diseases of Fish Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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