Chinese banded shark - Myxocyprinus asiaticus

Scientific name: Myxocyprinus asiaticus

Common name: Chinese banded shark

Family: Catostomidae

Usual size in fish tanks: 40 - 68 cm (15.75 - 26.77 inch)

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Recommended pH range: 6.9 - 7.8

Recommended water hardness: 4 - 20°N (71.43 - 357.14ppm)

0°C 32°F30°C 86°F

Recommended temperature range: 15 - 25 °C (59 - 77°F)

The way how these fish reproduce: Spawning

Where the species comes from: East Asia

Temperament to its own species: peaceful

Temperament toward other fish species: peaceful

Usual place in the tank: Bottom levels

General Information

The Chinese banded shark (Myxocyprinus asiaticus), also sold as the Chinese high-fin banded shark or Chinese sucker, is an endemic sucker fish from China’s Yangtze River basin. It’s the only Asian member of the family Catostomidae. Juveniles show striking dark bands and a very tall dorsal “sail,” but as they mature the sail lowers and the body becomes more torpedo-shaped. In nature the species is potamodromous—adults live in the main river and migrate into faster, shallower headwaters to spawn.

Size & Lifespan

Despite shop labels, this fish is not a nano or mid-size community species. Reliable references list a maximum ~68 cm TL (common length much smaller in samples), with long life potential. Realistic aquarium lifespan is 10–15 years, and >20–25 years is possible in very large, well-kept systems.

Food & Feeding

An opportunistic omnivore and benthic grazer. Offer sinking algae wafers and mixed sinking pellets as the staple; rotate with vegetable matter (blanched zucchini/seaweed) plus protein-rich items like earthworms, bloodworms, frozen/live brine shrimp, daphnia, and insect larvae. Multiple nutrition studies on the species in aquaculture confirm good utilization of both plant and animal ingredients—variety is best.

Tank Requirements & Water Parameters

• Temperature: cool-subtropical. Aim for 15–24 °C (59–75 °F) as a practical long-term band. Short excursions up to ~26–28 °C are tolerated but avoid sustained tropical heat. Seasonal fluctuation is natural.
• Water: pH ~6.9–7.8 (neutral to slightly alkaline) and soft–medium hardness are fine; stability and oxygenation matter most.
• Footprint & flow: this is a river fish—provide a very large footprint, high dissolved oxygen, and moderate current. For adults, think ponds or 1000 L /300 gal aquaria with powerful biofiltration.
• Décor: smooth stone and sand/gravel, rounded boulders, and big open lanes; keep lighting moderate; ensure excellent mechanical filtration to control silt.
• Maintenance: weekly water changes; the species is sensitive to accumulating nitrate and organic waste—river-style cleanliness is key.

Behavior & Compatibility

Peaceful, active cruiser that spends most time at the bottom to mid levels, browsing surfaces and foraging at dusk/dawn. Keep with robust, similarly sized cool-water species; avoid nippy fish that target fins. Very small fish and shrimp fry may be viewed as food, but this is not an aggressive predator.

Breeding

Not achieved in home aquaria. In the wild they migrate to shallow, fast-flowing headwaters to spawn; commercial production in China is via aquaculture, not home-tank breeding. Any blanket claim like “egg-scatterer in tanks” should be replaced with “potamodromous spawner; captive breeding in hobby aquaria unreported.”

Short Description

Chinese banded shark (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) is a large, cool-water, riverine sucker from the Yangtze basin. Juveniles are high-finned and banded; adults streamline and lose the extreme sail. Provide very large, cool, oxygen-rich systems with strong filtration and a varied sinking diet; expect a long-lived, peaceful fish that outgrows typical aquaria.

Q&A

• East Asia or “China only”? China (Yangtze basin) is the native range.
• How big, really? Verified scientific maximum is about 68 cm TL; larger numbers online are unsubstantiated. Plan housing accordingly.
• Coldwater or tropical? Subtropical/cool-water. Best kept at 15–24 °C with high oxygen; avoid long-term tropical heat.
• Conservation status? IUCN currently lists the species as Vulnerable (2022 assessment).

Picture

Bought by aqua-fish.net from jjphoto.dk.