Taxonomy & naming
Nichols & Griscom described the species in 1917, as a Discognathus, from Kisangani. It is now placed in Garra, with the authority in parentheses. Garra is a large genus of sucker-mouthed labeonine cyprinids, ranging from West Africa and the Middle East across South and Southeast Asia to China.
Morphology
A typical Garra: elongate, with a ventral mouth and an adhesive mental disc on the lower lip. FishBase gives a maximum of 3 in SL, and an older reference gives 3.5 in; colour has not been described in the sources the atlas uses. The name ornata means adorned.
Habitat
It lives in rapids and flowing waters, where it grazes rock surfaces. FishBase gives the range as the Niger basin to the Congo River basin, with a temperature of 72–79 °F. Other water parameters have not been published.
Feeding
Garra species are grazers. The lower lip forms an adhesive mental disc, and the fish rasp algae, diatoms and biofilm from stone with the hardened jaw edge, taking small invertebrates and detritus along with it. The diet of this species has not been described separately.
Mating
Mating has not been described for this species. Related Garra are seasonal egg-scatterers with no parental care, with ripe males carrying snout tubercles.
Breeding
Spawning has not been documented. Related Garra scatter eggs over stone and gravel and give them no care.
In the aquarium
Treat it as a hillstream fish: a long tank, strong flow, high oxygen, rounded stones and wood with algae and biofilm to graze, and a tight lid, since Garra climb and jump. Keep a group rather than a single fish, and give mixed algae wafers, sinking pellets and small live or frozen foods. Rapids fish need strong flow and high oxygen. Care notes come from the genus.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List category is Least Concern, assessed in 2019. Threats have not been described.