Taxonomy & naming
Described by Francis Hamilton in 1822 and later moved to Erethistes, hence the parentheses. The type locality is the Hooghly River south of Ranaghat, India. It is a valid species in the Catalog of Fishes. The epithet is probably a vernacular term from Hamilton's Bengal sources.
Morphology
A small, flattened catfish with a plated or rough skin, a stout dorsal and pectoral spine and four barbel pairs, as is typical of Erethistidae-type sisorids. FishBase gives a maximum of 5 in TL.
Habitat
FishBase lists India, Nepal, Myanmar and China, with a report from Bangladesh, and describes a demersal fish of slow-moving rivers and streams. It gives 54–82 °F and pH 6.0 to 7.5, a wide range that includes subtropical conditions. The type locality is the lower Ganges system.
Feeding
A small benthic insectivore; no species-specific data.
Mating
Mating behaviour is not documented for Erethistes hara in the sources available to the atlas. Sexes cannot be separated reliably from the information available.
Breeding
No spawning or breeding record is known to the atlas.
In the aquarium
Rarely offered. Treat it as a small, shy catfish needing oxygenated, clean water and cover, and avoid keeping it with active fish. FishBase's range of 54–82 °F and pH 6.0 to 7.5 makes it tolerant of unheated or tropical tanks.
Conservation
The IUCN Red List assessed Erethistes hara as Least Concern in 2009. Hillstream fishes are sensitive to siltation, damming and altered flow.