Unknown Catfish

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 11:42 am

Can anyone identify this catfish? I've had these for about 3 years now, they were sold as giant ottocinclus but I doubt that they are. They were bought as algae eaters but have failed miserably as they prefer to eat what's on offer to the other fish.

Thanks McEve for improving the photo.

husky_jim · Post by **husky_jim** » Sat Dec 18, 2004 5:35 pm

Parotocinclus Cristatus

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 9:22 pm

Thanks husky_jim,

I checked it out on PC, there is a bit of colour variation amongst my lot but they are very similar. My suspicions were confirmed in that this speices are not good algae eaters.

Post by **Barbie** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 9:48 pm

Just curious, why those and not These?. I have some just like them, so I'd love to hear about it if they were mis id'd when I purchased them

Barbie

Des · Post by **Des** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 9:58 pm

Hi Adam,
If you know any shop who still have these in stock, please let me know.
Thanks,
Des

husky_jim · Post by **husky_jim** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 10:06 pm

Barbie wrote:Just curious, why those and not These?. I have some just like them, so I'd love to hear about it if they were mis id'd when I purchased them

Barbie

Barbie you are right! (Sorry Adam for the miss-Id)

i totaly "missed" the red tail fin!!!!!

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 10:24 pm

Des, since I bought these I haven't seen them anywhere again. I started off with about 6 and they have bred quite a few times usually after a big water change, only a few large greenish eggs are laid on the glass near the water level. For some reason the digital thermometer and filter up pipe are favourite spots. Spawning must occur at night as I have never caught them in the act. I've only collected the eggs a few times, the fry are very slow growing which would suggest to me that it could be a fairly long lived fish. I think there must be about 15+ of them now. As I said their colour and pattern is variable, the example in the picture is one of the better ones. It's a tank raised one that's well over a year old but is just over half the size of the adults.

Des · Post by **Des** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 10:45 pm

Hi Adam,
Maybe you could let me know when you have some for sale !!!
I have had some "dwarf" otos breed in my tank.I cannot say I bred them because apart from the feeding I didnt do anything special. Still trying to identify them. Bought them as Black otos.
Have tried to keep zebra otos twice but both lots didnt survive for too long.Not cheap too, at between £7 and £10 each. Couldnt identify what killed them since there were other types of otos in with them ,with no problems, however they were new imports.
Regards,
Des.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Sun Dec 19, 2004 10:54 pm

Des, I got these lot with ottos supposedly to eat algae in my planted tank as it was then. I had no luck with the ottos, I lost all of them within 4 months. Bought another lot from a different supplier again same story. However these lot seem to be very hardy. As for selling them when I have some you can have them for nothing, after all I only bought them for £1.95 each. A small thankyou for letting me know about the L098 at WT.

Des · Post by **Des** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 10:52 pm

Adam,
Cheers,I had always been keen on the red fin otos since I saw them on planet catfish , I think.But I had never seen them for sale.
You can have some fry ---if they survive----of my Loricaria filamentosa , which are breeding now, the eggs are being looked after by the male in a 8" piece of uplift tube and are just about to hatch or pelvichromis taeniatus or apistogramma agazizi which I am hoping to breed shortly..
Regards,
Des.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 10:15 pm

Cheers Des, thanks for the offer.

I'll get my figer out and make an effort to breed them now. Knowing my luck they'll refuse to do it, mind you they last spawned about a month ago but I didn't save any of the eggs.