Lfs purchases, not sure what they are

[Many pets]

Bought these guys were told first picture was panda garra, definitely not. Thinking some kind of pencil fish. Ideas?
Second ones LFS not sure. I am guessing young ruby tetra.
Thanks for any assistance

 

[GaryE]

The first one is Nannostomus beckfordi, a pencil fish with many English names depending on where you live.

The second one needs to settle in - there are a few things it could be.

Do you often buy fish without knowing what they are and what they need? It looks like two beckfords, and they don't do well in pairs, even if you probably have females.

 

[Many pets]

The first one is Nannostomus beckfordi, a pencil fish with many English names depending on where you live.

The second one needs to settle in - there are a few things it could be.

Do you often buy fish without knowing what they are and what they need? It looks like two beckfords, and they don't do well in pairs, even if you probably have females.

I don't usually buy fish I don't know anything about. But these were actually given to me because LFS was shipped them and they weren't identified. I have a extra tank so figured I would give them a home.
The pencil fish, will be separated after quarantine.

 

[Kyshiara]

Definitely pencil fish, possibily Glowlight tetra for the second? Wait till they colour up for a good photo.

 

[Byron]

Agree the first is Nannostomus beckfordi, and let's hope they are both female. This pencilfish is the most aggressive of the species, though there are a couple others that are similar. Males have very clear territories, near the surface, and they will attack anything that enters it. I had this species for 30-some years, and it was fine in groups of 12+ in spacious tanks, though it would never tolerate surface fish like hatchets and even otos. Cories breaching the surface were prodded but tough enough that no damage occurred. The hatchets had to be moved, and the otos. The males squabbled among themselves, with a few split fins the only real damage, but this would have been very different in groups under 10 or so. My last group began to die off until there were just five remaining, and four of these happening to be males caused real issues, and the five had to be euthanized. They tore into the group of 12 rummynose and that was it for them.

The second fish is a characin, one of the more recently discovered/imported species. Not a glowlight, but we need it to colour up. Characins (includes tetras, pencilfish, hatchetfish) are shoaling fish and must have a group around 10-12 because too few will really affect them. I understand the low numbers here, but it has created an issue you need to be aware of.

 

[Many pets]

Agree the first is Nannostomus beckfordi, and let's hope they are both female. This pencilfish is the most aggressive of the species, though there are a couple others that are similar. Males have very clear territories, near the surface, and they will attack anything that enters it. I had this species for 30-some years, and it was fine in groups of 12+ in spacious tanks, though it would never tolerate surface fish like hatchets and even otos. Cories breaching the surface were prodded but tough enough that no damage occurred. The hatchets had to be moved, and the otos. The males squabbled among themselves, with a few split fins the only real damage, but this would have been very different in groups under 10 or so. My last group began to die off until there were just five remaining, and four of these happening to be males caused real issues, and the five had to be euthanized. They tore into the group of 12 rummynose and that was it for them.

The second fish is a characin, one of the more recently discovered/imported species. Not a glowlight, but we need it to colour up. Characins (includes tetras, pencilfish, hatchetfish) are shoaling fish and must have a group around 10-12 because too few will really affect them. I understand the low numbers here, but it has created an issue you need to be aware of.

They second ones are in with ember tetras . They seem to be happy so far. I will post a picture once I figure out how to add it to the thread

 

[Ichthys]

Second one looks like either Ruby Tetras or Moenkhausia bonita.

 

[emeraldking]

Bought these guys were told first picture was panda garra, definitely not.

From appearance, a panda garra looks totally different. Wonder why an lfs would make such a huge mistake. For they're not dealing with a rare species to make a mistake.

 

[Essjay]

A number of LFS I've been in write the fish species on the tank in marker pen. Then they move the fish around but don't bother changing the writing.

 

[Slaphppy7]

A number of LFS I've been in write the fish species on the tank in marker pen. Then they move the fish around but don't bother changing the writing.

Happens often at my mom-and-pop LFS...

 

[emeraldking]

A number of LFS I've been in write the fish species on the tank in marker pen. Then they move the fish around but don't bother changing the writing.

That does happen overhere at a number of stores as well. And there are a serious number of stores overhere that just don't have knowledgeable employees. And while there's a wrong name on the tank, they will sell it as being that fish. And even when there's a label with a photo in it, they are still able to sell it as the same fish. That's why I keep repeating when a store has the word "specialist" in the name, I will have doubts about their knowledge. One can have a store full of aquatic stuff and animals, but that doesn't mean that they're specialists.