Please tell me what this is?

[dragoonwoman]

I have a "dwarf catfish" in my tank, which is 2.5" - 3" long. I was wondering if anyone can identify what species this is?

The wavy line near the tail in the picture is caused by an angle of the tank (it's a 5g hex).

I was very lucky to get this picture, as it usually hangs out on the driftwood, out of sight.

Thanks for the help! :22:

[bluebluecow]

just a guess but i think its a bulldog plec, sometimes called a rubber mouth plec

Liz

[robflanker]

definitely a pleco

[sandypants]

How long have you had it?
Rubber nose/lip plecos and bristlenose stay small (c. 3") but all others get BIG.

[Northernguy]

How long have you had it?
It does resemble a rubber lip pleco.
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[dragoonwoman]

I got it back in January. I don't think it's grown much, if any, the whole time I've had it.

[robflanker]

Its a pleco of some form and you should take it outta the 5g and put it in the 27g hex ASAP!

[MCHRKiller]

Could you get some more detailed shots of the fish? A topside photo and a clear head shot would be wonderful :22:

[Lab_Rat]

That doesn't look like a rubberlip/bulldog pleco to me, mouth looks wrong from this angle. Do you have a pic of it on the glass so we can see the mouth?

Also, no way it should be in a 5g, no pleco should be in a tank that small.

[dragoonwoman]

This little sucker is both quick and shy, so I'll probably have to net it out, and place it in a bare tank for the photo shoot. I know that will stress it, but I really don't see any other way to manage multiple angle shots.

I really would like to keep it - I've had it for 6 months, and I'm rather fond of whatever-it-is. BUT - if it's going to get too big for either of my tanks (yes folks, only TWO), then I will find it another home.

That's only fair to the fish.

[robflanker]

It will get too big for both of your tanks I think (certainly the 5g hex)

Whats the footprint of the 27g hex? What are the dimensions of it?

[Lab_Rat]

If it really is a rubberlip the 27g will be fine. If it's a common pleco then it won't be ok.

[dragoonwoman]

The 27 hex is a tall, cylindrical tank. It's 20" across at the widest point, and 24" deep. Not much "floor space" at all.

Has anyone had experience with PlanetCatfish.com? I was looking at their site, trying to ID my fish.

[Crispy]

Has anyone had experience with PlanetCatfish.com? I was looking at their site, trying to ID my fish.

Planetcatfish is a great site for IDs and info.... their search function doesn't work well with common names. I'd suggest looking at this list of plecos and then searching the L#s on planetcatfish to make things a bit easier.

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[dragoonwoman]

Posted a similar thread on their site, with the same pic, and was told I have a Parotocinclus sp. "Recife" catfish, and that YES it will stay small.

Huge sigh of relief - I like the little sucker and wasn't happy at the thought of getting rid of it because it would get too big for either of my tanks.

I appreciate everyone's responses here, especially how quickly people got back to me! :22:

[robflanker]

You did move him to the 27g hex tho right?

[dragoonwoman]

I'm still researching this, as I really would prefer to keep it where it is. The Parotocinclus catfish are all very small, some as little as 1". Here's a quote from PlanetCatfish about these guys:

"As with all Parotocinclus species, these dwarf fish need only small aquariums with water flowing as fast as possible, generated by a reliably working pump or an efficient filter."

Right now I have 2 filters in the tank, a Penguin Bio-wheel Mini, and a Tom Aquatic micro filter. Between these two, the current is very strong, and I had to add a diffuser of sorts to keep my poor Betta from being blown around the tank.

I think I'd better take more pictures if I'm EVER going to find out what I have!

[robflanker]

10g is typically referred to as small aquariums - to be honest, 5g is miniscule.

You should move him until you figure out what he is

*edit - you said its 2.5-3 inches long....all the research i can find will say that recife's get to be about 5cm at most which is just over 2inches, meaning yours is bigger than that already. So i am beginning to question that classification. I still think it looks pleco-like. See if you can get some more pictures.
Also - if your 27g hex is 20inches at its absolute widest point - how big is the 5g hex at widest? I'd imagine it can't be anymore than 7-10 inches meaning your fish takes up 50% of the floorspace possibly. You need to move him to the 27g hex till we figure it out*

[dragoonwoman]

I overestimated its size. I got a good look at it last night and it's 2" max in length (minus the tail fin of course), so it may be Parotocinclus after all.

My 5 gallon is 13" long and 8" wide. If I move the "dwarf" to the 27, what can I use for algae control instead?

"Miniscule?" What about 5 gallon REEF tanks I've read about, here and elsewhere?? I never would consider having a SW tank that small, yet people do it. I don't think a 5g tank is too small, for a Betta.

Just MHO.

[robflanker]

I never said 5g was too small for a betta. Its a great size for a betta! But its too small for almost anything other than a betta.

In terms of algae control - add some live plants and that should help with algae control. But i'm not sure you'll have much issue with algae with a 5g betta tank and nothing else in it; at least my gfs betta tank has never had algae issues

5g SW reef tanks are just that - reef tanks, no real fish in it.

Also, Dave had a look at your pictures - he doesnt think its the patro-something fish that planetcatfish said it was. I dont think it is either. Could you get some more pics? Esp of the head - its really hard to determine a species on 1 pic

[Sharon]

It makes no sense to move a fish...until you ascertain that there is actually a need to move him. Research what you have, and then determine required tank size.

[dragoonwoman]

I don't want to move this whatever-it-is around any more than necessary.

I will TRY to get some decent pictures, but the only way I can do that is to net it out and put it in a bare tank, which will stress the poor thing. It also means it won't have good color for the photos! Kinda caught between the Devil and the deep blue sea on this.

My betta tank is planted already, so that's okay. I don't have algae problems per se, I just wanted to be sure I WON'T have any. If the plants are enough for that, bonus!

I'm fairly convinced this is NOT a common pleco, because in the 6 months I've had it, it has stayed the same size as when I bought it - 2". A pleco would have grown SOME in that time, I'm pretty sure. I had one before and it grew fast.