what is this?

[admael]

I can't get a positive ID on this catfish. It's about 2". Very lazy.
Only the first one has colors faithful to the fish, the others--I forgot to set white balance, amateur mistake.

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[Red]

Looks like a big oto to me. Probably the same family

[admael]

That is what I thought, too. Besides the general shape and facial structure resembles my other otos. The color is what throws me off...

[toddnbecka]

Have you looked on planetcatfish.com for a match? Gymnotocinclus anosteos looks close.

[admael]

I just checked, it doesn't look the same =(

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[toddnbecka]

That fish has a very sunken belly, and isn't going to live much longer if it doesn't get some food soon. Have you tried fresh or canned veggies like zucchini or green beans?

[admael]

I always have blanched veggies out. He's very lazy, see all that algae on the tank? I have four of these guys. I even drop some algae wafers (the shrimp arrives at the scene first).

[Dave66]

Hypoptopoma cf. guntheri is your fish, and he'll need more proper food ASAP before he starves to death. He'll need roughage. You'll need fresh leaf spinach. Rinse under the tap, rubbing with your fingers to remove any pesticides. Mash a leaf a bit where some of the interior flesh of the leaf is visible, then rubber band the stem of the leaf to a rounded stone with the leaf itself on the substrate.

Do this right after lights out in the tank, and place in tank carefully. If the leaf is skeletonized in the morning your fish has eaten. Keep repeating the process until you see your fish on the glass. If his belly is flat or better pouched out a bit you're home free, because it means the fish's digestive system has been reactivated.

Check the forum for my feeding loricariad thread. Your fish need far more veggies than you suppose to thrive, and they should be added nightly until you gage how much your fish need to eat.

Good luck, friend, I do hope you succeed in saving him. Wild caught loricariads are starved before export and are almost always starving when they arrive at your shop. I've saved hundreds of loricariads by the leaf method, so with prompt attention you may yet have an active, attractive fish.

You should know they are also schooling fish, and live far better and longer if you add six or more.

Dave

[admael]

Thanks I'll try this and will follow up. I'll try to get more as well.

[admael]

They still won't eat. I have them quarantined and will try again tonight.

[OrionXI]

I had 4 otos in my 55 gal. aquarium that lived happily for about 6 months and then one day just stopped eating.. One by one they all literally shriveled up and died.. I tried everything, to no avail.. It was pretty horrific and I've never bought anymore because of it.. :(

I hope you have better luck than me!

[Pleco380]

I never get fish with sunken bellies anymore because they usually don't eat and then die. One of my clown plecos had a slightly sunken belly and he ate and is now looking even better than the healthier one. Keep trying and he could come around. Good luck.

[admael]

Okay thanks for all the help, they're eating now and much much more active. They're beginning to act like my smaller otos.

I would get a few more of them, but they only sell at this small LFS. They all seem to be starved and I don't think I want to go through with a slow start with every single one of them.