Fish Id

[greyedoutman]

Hey all.
 
I've just come back from the fish shop where I have restocked my tank after it was decimated by something (I have totally started again, save for a few fish that have survived for several weeks in a small quarantine tank since I emptied my main tank). 
 
I've come back and I have a couple of questions. 
 
Firstly: I bought three guppies. Obviously I wanted two females and a male. And I can see I have at least one of each (the yellow one is female, and the one with tiger-coloured tailfins is male) - but what about the one with the plain orange tailfin? Is that a male or female? 

 
Secondly - this might be a bit harder, but I bought a couple of TINY baby fish that suck on hard objects (rocks, filter, glass) constantly. I was told what they were but I've forgotten their name. Can anyone help me? They are babies and apparently will grow. Second photo is to give you an idea of scale of the rock.

I also have a shrimp that I've had for ages and I wanted a bit more information on it - anyone able to id?

 
The final question is regarding the pair of botia strata I bought: see below with some of the others I have mentioned. I meant to ask at the store - should they be fed flake or pleco-food? Or is there a special one for loaches?

 

[fluttermoth]

I'm afraid your pictures aren't clear enough to answer all your questions...

You can easily sex the guppies yourself; look at the anal fin (that's the one on the belly of the fish, just in front of the tail). Females have a normal fan-shaped anal fin, while males have a rod like structure called a gonopodium.

Your little suckermouth looks like it might be a bristlenose, but we'd need much clearer pictures to be 100% positive on that one. I think your shrimp might be a ghost or amano, but shrimps are notoriously difficult to ID.

The zebra loach need a meaty catfish pellet, although they will eat flake as well. They're not algae eaters, so you don't want to give them plec food, which is more for the algae eating fish. They should also be kept in a shoal, of at least six, or you might find them being aggressive to your other fish as they try and create a hierarchy.

 

[greyedoutman]

Its really hard to get a photo of these tiny little fish, but I think he did say bristlenose, yes.

The guy at the fish store said the zebras should be fine with most of my fish, apart from the guppies when they (loaches) get bigger. Im planning eventually to move the guppies to a smaller tank by themselves.

 

[Ch4rlie]

A little more information on guppies for you
 
http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/poecilia-reticulata/
 
The other pics, of the loach and BN/Pleco are hard to tell from your pics am afraid.
 
And as for the shrimp, need a closer pic but as Fluttermoth already mentioned could either be amano or ghost shrimp as these tend to be what most LFS sells. But a closeup pic would help a lot more

 

[fm1978]

All 3 of those guppies look male to me...I'd like to be corrected, especially if you were told that at least 1 of them is female. They all have very flat underbellies and are at least half of the total body, including the tail, coloured. Females tend not to have any colouring on their body at all, just on the tail...mine do anyway.
 
Not a brilliant 2nd picture but it looks like it could be a common pleco...not 100%, though.
 
The shrimp is an Amano. No real special instructions with it, however, it will feel much better in a group. Good cleaner and will eat a whole range of food from the natural biofilm in the tank to flakes, pellets, veggies, and some meaty stuff, too. Won't breed in freshwater so population doesn't get out of control.
 
Not sure about the Botia, but, I'm certain an expert will be along any second to help!

 

[greyedoutman]

Hopefully clearer:
 

I've had the shrimp for ages, it's been around since I got the tank (second hand). The guppy I'm unsure about is the one at the front - I think that is actually a female, it seems that is a normal anal fin???

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yup, looks like a Amano Shrimp
 
http/www.planetinverts.com/Amano%20Shrimp.html
 
As Fm1978 already said, these require brackish waters to breed so you wont get overrun with shrimps like Red Cherries for example.

 

[greyedoutman]

Hmmm....having read that, it has cast doubt on the one I was definitely told was female.
Is there not a gonopodium here?

As I've said before, I have had the shrimp for ages and there is only one so no chance of being overrun! It's just a question of whether I can find some more to help this one keep the tank clean! But my LFS hasn't had any for ages.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Definitely looks like a male to me, no anal fin which females usually have but a gonopodium in males.

 

[fm1978]

Actually, you might be right, that could well be the female. Not hugely clear from the pic but the male with the snake-skin tail seems to be pestering her...

 

[greyedoutman]

They were just swimming past each other, I was watching for that. But it does seem that I have two males and a female there which is clearly the wrong way round. Grrrr. Bloody store guy!

What would you suggest?

 

[Ch4rlie]

Ah, now it makes sense, thought you were referring to the yellow tailed guppy (post #8 )as a female but looks like a male, however in post #6 that does look like an anal fin so THAT guppy is a female and indeed does look like being pestered by the male guppy with snake-skin colouring.
 
Chances are, the female will get pregnant very quickly and you may find yourself being overrun with guppies soon

 

[greyedoutman]

That was the plan - when she does get pregnant I'm moving her into a smaller tank for the fry!
 
But isn't it a bit of a problem that there are two males and only one female?
 
The yellow one was the one the LFS man said was female - i didn't look closely in store because I didn't think he would make that sort of mistake! He had a female guppy tank and a male guppy tank - or at least he thought he did!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yes, quite correct, better to try and get 1 male for every 2 or 3 females

 

[fm1978]

Unless you specifically want to breed the guppies I'd recommend all male as you'll become over-run quite quickly. If breeding's the aim then more females than males as close to 2:1 is best as that lone female will get pestered a lot! She might be able to cope but I wouldn't take the risk. It could stress her and lead to failed birthing or worse...