Need Help With Identifying This Fish..

[KrayzieVanh]

Just got him (or her). The pet store had em' labeled as an pleco specie but I couldn't find any pleco that looked similar. Was thinking that it could of been a flounder pleco but the fins don't look quite right. Thank you for your help.

 

[rdd1952]

Would help to see a side view too. I have no clue looking from above.

 

[xingumike]

hillstream loach, sold under the misnomer butterfly or hongkong plec, not a plec at all.

prefers cooler temps than most trop tanks run at, with highly oxygenated water

hth

here ya go some more info

http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_hillstream.php

 

[marcan]

It looks nice!

 

[KrayzieVanh]

Oh darn. I dunno if I should keep him or not. It's such a beautiful odd looking fish. I'm surprised that it's not a pleco since it sucks to the glass like them. I wonder how he'll do with helping me get rid of some algae.

 

[n3ont3tra]

I'm pretty sure they eat a lot of algae off rocks, not sure about off the glass though. In fact, if you drop in some food for them and they go immediately for it, I've heard that means they're starving. Anyways, I would take him back. Not being able to provide the right temperature for them could dramatically shorten their lifespan.

 

[Jozlyn]

What a beautiful fish! I had a read of the link that xingumike gave you. One of the comments said that they had them in a tank at 28C and that they were doing fine, although the temp' does say 23C. I would think that if your tank was around 25C you would be ok, they don't grow very big either, only 6cm, would be perfect for my tank if I had any room left! Might be worth doing some more research before you decide for sure that you want to take it back, that's only one website's opinion.

 

[KrayzieVanh]

Yea, I plan on keeping him. My tank is around 24-25c. If I do take him back theres no sure way of knowing where he'll end up.

 

[fishlette]

if your tank is steady at that temperature than it should be ok but are there times when it will get hotter. tis one thing to keep a fish that likes warm water cause you can put a heater in but to keep a fish that likes cold water in a hot environment you would need to keep it in a tank that is in an airconditioned room and then if you have fish that prefer warmer water they might suffer. just something to think about...i do hope you can keep him...hes a cutey

 

[Rhiannon]

Very cute, on that link provided it says they like 17 to 21 degree water.

 

[Amunet]

Alot of people in that link comment that they keep them at slightly higher temps with no problem so I don't see anything wrong with keeping it
I think I've seen those fish at the store before but thought they were something else.
It's quite cute! I'm gonna have to get me one sooner or later! hehe