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Scientific Name Glyptothorax indicus  Talwar, 1991
Common Name
Type Locality Streams of Terai, Northern Bengal
Pronunciation Gleep toe thor axe - In dee cuss
Etymology The generic name comes from the Greek glyptos, meaning carved, and thorax, meaning breastplate (or the part of the body covered by it), in reference to the folds of skin comprising the thoracic adhesive apparatus. 
Hop to next section Species Information
Size 110mm or 4.3" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification Sisorid catfishes of the genus Glyptothorax Blyth are benthic inhabitants of torrential waters of rivers and streams in montane and submontane parts of tropical Asia. The members of the genus are adapted to attach themselves to rocks and boulders against strong currents by means of a thoracic adhesive apparatus comprising grooves and folded pleats of skin parallel or oblique to the longitudinal axis of the body. The genus has a wide distribution, ranging from Turkey and Syria in the west, to India and China in the east, and extending further southeastward to Indonesia. With 84 nominal species, Glyptothorax are the most speciose genus of catfishes in Asia (Eschmeyer et al., 1998, Ng, 2005); 67 species were treated as valid by Thomson & Page (2006).

a) Paired fins not plated ventrally. Occipital process not reaching basal bone of dorsal fin.
b) Adhesive apparatus rhomboidal in shape, very extensive from tip of pectoral fin traversing through gill membranes.
Sexing Not known.
Hop to next section Habitat Information
Distribution Asia: India and Nepal.
Indian waters, North Eastern India Waters, Padma, Ganges, Koshi (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Indian waters, North Eastern India Waters, Padma, Ganges, Son, Rihand (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Nepal Waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)
Indian waters, Punjab waters (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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IUCN Red List Category Least Concern, range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2007.
Other Parameters The water should be cool and heavily oxygenated with a good flow as these fish occur in hill streams. Anything above 25°C will hamper long term survival as these fish tend to wither away at higher temperatures.
Hop to next section Husbandry Information
Feeding Is known to take only live food like bloodworms, frozen brineshrimp etc. Spot feeding will help in case tank mates are voracious feeders. User data.
Furniture Fine sand for the bottom and smooth pebbles / rocks. This species seems to be quite active and likes to swim around, so the decor should permit this.
Compatibility A peaceful species suitable for a hillstream biotope.
Suggested Tankmates Cyprinids like Barilius and Danios and balitorine loaches like Homaloptera species.
Breeding Unreported in the aquarium.
Breeding Reports There is no breeding report.
Hop to next section Further Information
Reference Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries v. 1-2, pp 654, fig. 210.
Registered Keepers There is no registered keeper.
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There are 2 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
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Last Update 2020 Oct 28 13:28 (species record created: 2010 Oct 11 17:15)