Bucket List Hillstream in stock at one of the suppliers I buy from... now if they are there for another week, so I can buy a couple...

[Magnum Man]

in large size as well...

 

[Magnum Man]

I didn't want to miss out on those... so I ordered today, I have 3 of them coming in the 3 to 5 inch size...

Saddle Back Loach (Homaloptera cf. parclitella)

A resident of fast-moving, rocky streams in Southeast Asia, Saddle Back Loaches use their modified pectoral fins to attach themselves to the rocky substrate and move among the rocks in search of food. In the wild, they are grazers and generalists, feeding on algae, biofilm, and small insects and...

www.aqua-imports.com

 

[Magnum Man]

I may look at maybe bumping the temperature of the tank up a few degrees, I run this one around 70 degrees F.
the website that sells the fish say's "76-80F"
yet Seriously Fish lists the temp. at 20 - 25C ( 68 - 78 degrees F )

Homaloptera parclitella — Seriously Fish

www.seriouslyfish.com

I'll probably leave the temperature alone, for now, as so many varieties are currently thriving there... but keep an eye on the Saddlebacks...

 

[GaryE]

"Torrent loaches"...

I'm not into loaches at all, but I went digging as this fish was new to me. The description is paywalled, so there's not much to dig up there. I would lean to the cooler side as its oxygen requirements must be really something, given the 'torrent' name and the info I could find. It appears they've been sold in the UK for some time, again, based on google.

It's a common trick to keep whitewater or fastwater fish cooler in aquariums because we can't replicate the habitats in a glass box, and the need for oxygen often has more importance than the temperature.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I think the varying information can be attributed to the fact that many of these hillstreams go through wild, seasonal fluctuations, and the fish that live in them have to be very adaptable toward temperature, hardness, movement, and pH. (I'm looking at you, panda garra) Plus many of them are relatively new in the hobby and we're still figuring them out.

So with many of them, it's more about figuring out what's ideal rather than what's "required." With saddlebacks, I would er toward the cooler temps in the range, if it were me.

Also, Gary, we really need to get you some help with this loach aversion of yours. You're missing out.

 

[Magnum Man]

... I mean just look at that fish... it's just too cool

my other similar size and types love to hang out "surfing" in the bubble waterfall... since I back light my background, they are visible in all but the dark hours... the Vietnamese Lizards will be similar size and body shape... so far everyone gets along great, and are often seen playing together... these are fish that play, how cool is that...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I am not familiar with the Homaloptera, so I did what GaryE did, I started to dig out research. What I found was that parclitella is a new species. But I also read that they should only have two spots on their back instead of the normal three the other 4 members of this group. So I went looking for pics of the parclitella and found that they do lack that third spot nearest the tail in your pic.

Since you already ordered you are getting whatever they send. But if it is what is in your pic, it is not Homaloptera parclitella, it is one of the other 4 species of Homaloptera: confuzona, orthogoniata, ogilviei and bilineata.

I hope I am wrong about this. Since I have no experience with loaches beyond the 3 species I have kept- yoyo, sidthimunki and clown- I am far from being an expert. However, Aquarium Glaser has nice pics of them here and they do not have that 3rd spot in your pic:
https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/07-carp-like-fishes-1-loaches/homaloptera-parclitella-2/

 

[Magnum Man]

If you look on google, under parclitella there is a plethora of pictures, but I can vouch ( as a non expert ) that many are not, even close cousins...

Homaloptera cf. parclitella - - Image Search Results

as a non expert... I just hope they look at least similar to the sellers picture ( & I do understand most sellers use pictures of mature males in breeding colors, & when you buy, you get babies in grey )

 

[Back in the fold]

Also, Gary, we really need to get you some help with this loach aversion of yours. You're missing out.

So he isn’t crazy about Asian suckers . Not the worst thing you could say about a guy .

 

[WhistlingBadger]

So he isn’t crazy about Asian suckers . Not the worst thing you could say about a guy .

 

[MuddyWaters]

The latest Tropical Fish Hobbyist has an interesting article on Hillstream Loaches. Apprently folks used to confuse them with plecos LOL.

I would like to have some- it would be cool to have a tank with fish that like the fast moving water- little "creek in a box"

 

[Back in the fold]

The latest Tropical Fish Hobbyist has an interesting article on Hillstream Loaches. Apprently folks used to confuse them with plecos LOL.

I would like to have some- it would be cool to have a tank with fish that like the fast moving water- little "creek in a box"

That’s a great article and the pictures are great too . A fish I may never have but reading about them is fun . Call me an armchair aquarist . LOL !

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I just looked at all the pictures for the different Homaloptera on Seriously Fish. The one that atched the pic you posted is
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/homaloptera-orthogoniata/

However, the pic on seriously for parclitella seems to have the 3rd rear end spot as well
https://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/homaloptera-parclitella/

 

[Magnum Man]

My 3 Saddle backs ordered, are arriving tomorrow

My smallest ret tail tiger on the front glass today… I don’t see this one as often, it’s about half the size of the one I’ve pictured before

 

[Magnum Man]

They are here… I only got 2 and a refund for 1… 1st picture is a Vietnamese lizard, and one of the saddlebacks… 2nd picture is just one of the saddlebacks, the other was black / dark, in the bag, and went right to one of my black hang on pots, so, we’ll wait on a picture of that one…already good interactions between the one pictured, and the other residents…