"stingray pleco"/hillstream loach

[moonflower]

went to my favorite pet store to find an apple snail today, which they were out of, but the guy i asked wondered why i wasn't looking into a pleco to clean up algae instead. "Pleco? Don't plecos grow to be like a foot long? I've only got ten gallons here!" "No, I was talking about stingray plecos, they're smaller." "And get along with goldfish?" "Yup." "Same temps and parameters overall?" "Yup." "Hmm... I'll get back to you on that."

sooo i come home, look up "stingray pleco" which quickly becomes "hillstream loach" which then turns up "well it's not really a pleco OR a loach but they eat algae and like cold water and get along with goldfish. plus they only grow to about three inches." plus they are REALLY neat looking. so before i go back to pick one up, anybody ever heard of/kept these wonderful fish?

meantime i'm working on a tank makeover... i was quite annoyed that the driftwood i bought was just a CENTIMETER too large for my tank, which i know i could theoretically cut down but it would really annoy me (thankfully i measured it before it got wet). so i have to go back to the store regardless of what fish/invert i'm picking up next week i'll post the before/after pics when it's done!

 

[elgecko]

I have a Hillstream loach in my tank.

Here's some pictures of mine.

http://www.geocities.com/elgecko1989/hill.html

 

[moonflower]

PERFECT!!!

why have i never heard of these wonderful little fish before?!

can't wait to get to the store next week to pick up my new fish (and a nice chunk of correctly sized driftwood... finally, a well-decorated tank!)

 

[jimscott]

Quote[/b] (elgecko @ June 02 2005,3:33)]I have a Hillstream loach in my tank.

Here's some pictures of mine.

http://www.geocities.com/elgecko1989/hill.html

Steve, somehow I missed that one on Sunday's visit. That wasn't in with the Discus, was it? Must've been with the killies, right?

Heather, have you ever seen a Blue-Eyed or Clown Pleco? I know this sounds crazy, because of it being what it is, but they are attractive.

 

[elgecko]

Scott,
Yes he is with the killies.

 

[jimscott]

Hmmm.... I saw a loach - a botia, right? But I missed the Hillstream one. We used to sell "butterfly loaches" at the wholsaler, so maybe that was the same species.

 

[Nflytrap]

www.loaches.com has a few excellent articles on these guys.

 

[moonflower]

ok one problem i might come across keeping these guys... current. i have a single Tetra Whisper power filter (no clue how much goes through it but the tank is, once again, 10gal) which appears to create a decent current  in places, judging by the speed the food flies around, but apparently these guys like really strong currents. would a loach still be OK... or am i still going with the snails?

Elgecko, what kind of current does your loach live in?

 

[elgecko]

Scott, the botia you saw was Botia angelicus. Hillstream loachs are sometimes is called a Butterfly or Stingray Loach.

Quote[/b] (moonflower @ June 02 2005,8:56)]Elgecko, what kind of current does your loach live in?

My tank does not have the power heads like some people set up for the Hillstream loaches to have strong current.

There is almost no current in many spots in my tank. He's been in there for around 1 1/2 years now, seems happy.

 

[jimscott]

Buenos loaches!

 

[elgecko]

Botia angelicus

 

[Spikeanator]

that looks like what i know as a Gold Nugget Pleco...



thanks

Brad