Eely Fish Thing

[WAG741L]

I know you should never buy a fish unless you know what it is, but what do you do when you buy a set-up, and the owner can't tell you what the fish is?

I have spent hours on the net trying to identify this fish. I am following the former owner's care and feeding regime, but it concerns me that THEY may not have known how to look after him/her properly, and I am just perpetuating the mismanagement. I am not even sure now that he is coldwater, what if he would actually prefer a higher temperature? This is worrying me, so I really need to find out who he is and what he needs!

He is kept in a coldwater tank, and he eats goldfish flakes. He tends not to eat very often, but he looks absolutely fine, he is active when he chooses to be, but most of the time he likes to lurk and hide - like most bottom-dwelling fish, I guess.

He is between four and five inches long. His coloration is similar to a CAE, but there the similarity ends. He has a gold underside, speckled with dull bronze, cat-fish type whiskers, and he is very eel-like. It is not a great photo, but I kept receiving a message to say that the photo was 'too large', so it has had to be modified.

Any help would be gratefully apppreciated.



Sorry, folks, it would not load picture AGAIN. I will have to try later with some expert help from the better half!

 

[LucyHurst]

I'm 99.9% sure you have a weather loach/Dojo loach (same thing)..

They are coldwater, and do great with Goldfish, they grow to about 8"..

I'l find a pic of one of mine..
This is Kirby my smallest

And this is my biggest.. Jam

 

[shrimply]

Sounds like a weather loach although the not eating sounds odd. The easiest way to post a pic is to open a free acount with photobucket.com. And up load it from there by copying the IMJ line under the picture and posting it in the reply box

 

[WAG741L]

BRILLIANT!

Thank you SO much!

I have looked at library pictures of weather loaches while trying to identify this fish, and the pictures really did not look much like mine (or yours!), but s/he is definitely one of those! Great pictures of Kirby.

I will research care and management, but out of interest, how do you feed? If Kirby is your smallest, how many do you have? Are they sociable with each other? Have you ever bred them?

I am so pleased to know that he is in water of the correct temperature, that was my biggest worry, so I am very grateful for your input.

Thank you, too, Shrimply, for the advice regarding photographs. I tried to import the pictures via 'Add this attachment', but was singularly unsuccessful. I will try your suggestion for future piccies.

 

[shrimply]

They are very sociable and a pleasure to watch. They will eat anything. Fish food is fine. They also love blood worms.

 

[LucyHurst]

No probs

I feed them the same as i feed the goldfish, so if im feeding flake i will soak a bunch of flakes in a cup of tank water then pour it all in at once and all the fish go nuts!
I have two, it did sound like i had more, lol sorry! those are pics of both mine, Kirby and Jam Kirby is quite small and doesnt have as many darker markings as Jam.
They do better in pairs or groups and are so halarious to watch, they are always doing something funny together!
I've no idea how to sex or breed them, all ive ever seen on breeding them is "no reports of spawning in aquariums".

If you have room id think about getting him a friend

 

[WAG741L]

Interesting to know what he is and to be able to look up how to care for him properly!

Thank you for all your replies - I do appreciate it.