Osteochilus borneensis: how big does it get?

Osteochilus borneensis is a large algae-grazing carp of Sumatra and Borneo that FishBase gives at 11 in SL. Bleeker described it in 1856 from the Kapuas River.

What's in the name

Osteochilus borneensis — os-tee-oh-KY-lus bor-nee-EN-sis

Osteochilus

osteonGreek — bone
cheilosGreek — lip

borneensis

Borneoplace name — the island of Borneo
-ensisLatin — of or from

Taxonomy & naming

Bleeker described the species in 1856 from the Kapuas River at Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Borneo. Stores list it as Osteochilus cf. borneensis, which marks fish the store did not identify to species with certainty.

Morphology

A heavy-bodied, silvery carp with a small subterminal mouth and fleshy lips for scraping surfaces. FishBase gives a maximum of 11 in SL.

Habitat

FishBase lists it as a freshwater, benthopelagic, tropical fish of Sumatra (Jambi) and the Kapuas basin of Borneo. It lives in rivers and associated waters. Water temperature, pH and hardness are not recorded.

Feeding

Members of the genus graze algae, periphyton and detritus, using their lips on submerged wood and stone. The diet of this species has not been described specifically.

Mating

Mating behaviour has not been described.

Breeding

Reproduction has not been described. Captive breeding is not recorded.

In the aquarium

It needs a large tank with strong filtration, plenty of algae to graze and robust plants, since it may eat soft vegetation. Care notes rest on related Osteochilus species.

Conservation

IUCN lists the species as Least Concern, assessed in 2020. Specific threats are not described.

Common questions

Osteochilus borneensis: how big does it get?: Up to 11 in standard length (SL).
Osteochilus borneensis: where does it come from?: It is recorded from Indonesia.

Related species compared · Osteochilus

Species	Adult size	Temperature	pH	Hardness	IUCN
Osteochilus borneensisthis species	11 in SL	—	—	—	LC
Bonylip barbOsteochilus vittatus	12.5 in SL	72–79 °F	pH 6.5–7	89–143 ppm	LC
Osteochilus pentalineatus	2 in SL	—	—	—	LC

Recorded ranges from each species’ own page; hardness is the tolerance its sources give, not a measurement of the water it lives in.

Sources

Naming authority: Osteochilus borneensis in Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes ↗

Last reviewed 2026-10-05.

How to cite

Aquarist Atlas (2026). Osteochilus borneensis. Aquarist Atlas.https://www.aquaristatlas.com/barbs/osteochilus-borneensis/

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Where it has been recorded

1 georeferenced record (GBIF). Each point is a field observation or museum specimen — pan and zoom to explore where this species turns up. The coordinates come straight from GBIF and are often rounded or tied to the nearest town or river landing, so a dot can sit just beside the actual water rather than in it.

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