Hong Kong Pleco

[smidge]

Hi,

I was wondering what you could feed a Hong Kong Pleco (sometimes gets called a Hillstream Loach).
I have Algae wafers but can you feed them it everyday?
I have heard people mentioning a cucumber or lettace. Do I just rip a couple of bits of lettace off and feed them it?!!!

Thanks

 

[The-Wolf]

their main diet will be the micro-oganisums that inhabit the tank, be sure to provide some large flat surfaces for them to graze on (cobblestones are good).
also to give your HSL the best enviroment they like a very strong current.

you can suppliment their diet with all the foods you mentioned above.

 

[shuhu]

I havent kept these fish but just to let you know, they prefer cold water temps (70-75 F), I've seen them at the LFS with tropical fish but I'm not sure if they are able to survive for too long at higher temps, mostly because of the amount of oxigen in the water, you can also feed them flakes but apparently they like live/frozen food better

 

[bunjiweb]

Just to correct you, its a Hillstream loach, that is SOMETIMES called a Hong-Kong Pleco, they are NOT a pleco, not related at all!

Just being picky, but its better to call them their proper name, and not what your inaccurate LFS labels want you to call it.

Ben

 

[smidge]

Thanks for all your info.

I thought they were called Hillstream loaches but every pet shop I called didn't know what I was on about until I mentioned Hong Kong Pleco!!

I have cobblestones for it and it is a coldwater tank.

Are they better in more than 1 in a tank or are they ok by themselves?

I've been putting the algae wafer in the tank but it doesnt seem to be eating any!
I even manged to get some to land right next to it and it just moved away to the other side of the tank.

The other fish end up eating it.

Do they normally not bother eating any? I gave my fish bloodworms in jelly the other day and I don't think it eat any either.

Is this normal not to eat much?

Sorry about the long message but just dont want it starving as I know that a lot of them die easily.

Thanks

 

[Fella]

Hey, I've got 1 of these guys, and have before kept 2 together. They did spend time together, but there was a lot of harmless chasing, they never hurt each other.

They also ate some of the food intended for the goldies, sinking hikari pellets and fresh peas.


There is quite a lot of differentiation between the species however. I've seen a few different hillstream loach which seem to be labelled the same, but have very obvios differences.

For instance -

This is the spiney headed hillstream loach called a Gastromyzon ctenocephalus.

Gastromyzon danumensis.

Gastromyzon lepidogaster.

Gastromyzon punctulatus (Spotted Hillstream Loach).

Notice the tiny barbels on the same fish.

Chinese Butterfly Loach - Gastromyzon Beaufortia.



I think ours is Gastromyzon beaufortia, but, I'm not sure. Still, they're lovely creatures

 

[smidge]

Is it just fresh peas or can I get frozen and boil them? Do I boil fresh peas aswell?

Also how do I feed them lettace, do I just break bits off and throw it in it put it under a rock?

Sorry, as you can probably tell im quite new to all of this.

 

[smidge]

Is it just fresh peas or can I get frozen and boil them? Do I boil fresh peas aswell?

Also how do I feed them lettace, do I just break bits off and throw it in or put it under a rock?

Sorry, as you can probably tell im quite new to all of this.

 

[smidge]

Is it just fresh peas or can I get frozen and boil them? Do I boil fresh peas aswell?

Also how do I feed them lettace, do I just break bits off and throw it in or put it under a rock?

Sorry, as you can probably tell im quite new to all of this.

 

[bunjiweb]

They are better kept in groups, i.e. 3+ but 1 would be fine on its own.

Ben

 

[SirMinion]

Just to correct you, its a Hillstream loach, that is SOMETIMES called a Hong-Kong Pleco, they are NOT a pleco, not related at all!
Just being picky, but its better to call them their proper name, and not what your inaccurate LFS labels want you to call it.

[snapback]872477[/snapback]​

Strictly speaking, they're not true loaches either!

The most misleading name I've ever seen them labled as is 'Dwarf Stingray pleco'

The most accurate name I've seen is 'Gastro suckers' (refering to the family name of Gastromyzon)

 

[Fella]

Is it just fresh peas or can I get frozen and boil them? Do I boil fresh peas aswell?

Also how do I feed them lettace, do I just break bits off and throw it in or put it under a rock?

Sorry, as you can probably tell im quite new to all of this.

[snapback]872654[/snapback]​

For peas, thaw them (or use fresh, even better) then remove the shells and drop in the green pea itself. Undoubtedly your goldies will like it too, and it's great for them, a source of fibre that keeps them regular.

You're not really keeping 2 goldies in only 13 gallons of water though are you? It might be worth looking in the goldie forum for details on stocking.

Enjoy!