 They are found on high islands from Sri Lanka to the Samoan Islands, and as far north as Okinawa, as well as on the Asian mainland from the Malay Peninsula to India.The two species differ in the number of teeth on the underside of the rostrum, "A. spinipes" having 2–6, while "A. moluccensis" has 7–16.When kept in the aquarium this species prefers to have a moderate water flow.