Best Hillstream Loach?

[Theplatymaster]

I want to get a kind of hillstream loach for my "Algae Free" Community setup and want to know, which is your favourite? In terms of hardiness, algae eating, diet, just all this stuff.

P.S. Im looking for something i can get 1 or 2, and stays between 2to3in

Edited May 16, 2022 by Theplatymaster

[Zenzo]

I would get the reticulated hillstream loach. You can read about them here on our blog article: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/hillstream-loaches

[nabokovfan87]

Borneo loach has a very subtle baby blue coloration at times. Very beautiful.

There is a lot of good videos by Racheal O'Leary. I'd recommend enjoying her breakdowns on the different species and then go from there.

My store locally managed to get the Borneo variety, not the RHSL species.

[Wrencher_Scott]

My suggestion is the reticulated hillstream loach too. I think some call them a Butterfly loach. I got mine from Petco and it was s m a l l. It has been growing very well. 

They love brown algae and only get to like 2".   

[Biotope Biologist]

There are also some lizard loaches starting to make their way into the trade that are labeled as hillstreams. Different demeanor and look but still great algae and biofilm eaters. A comment I would like to make though in my time (limited) observing them. Like otos they seem to prefer mature mats of algae over the diatomic stuff growing on the side of glass.

 

source:aquaticarts