Twig Catfish (horse faced loach? LOL!)

[cardiocentric]

So today I went to my trusted LFS. I was looking for a bottom feeder sizable enough that my bumblebee cats wouldn't devour them. Unfortunately, their khuli loaches had some weird disease which was sign #1 that I wasn't buying anything from that tank. Anywho, the girl sells me "horse faced loaches"... So I get home, and find out I got twig catfish. Three of them. Long story short, I got 21.99 catfish for 6 bucks a POP. BUT, the worst part is... I had no idea how to care for them since they weren't a loach. Does anyone know anything about these fish? I was reading that they're from Venezuela, and that they're primarily algae feeders, but am I going to have a problem with any of my other fish? Since the bumblebees are primarily carnivores (they have all but decimated my lampeye tetra population), I don't think there will be an issue? I've also read that "heater protectors" are something I should have in case they decide to latch onto the heater. How much do those cost? I don't think I've ever seen one before. I'm confused. Here are a couple of photos of the new fish. I'm in love with them.
http://i49.tinypic.com/167pico.jpg
http://i50.tinypic.com/18gqid.jpg

[Carapar56]

I'm not sure if it is the same exact species but you do indeed have a farlowella catfish. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...81&pcatid=1881

I'd look over that link, just as a quick rundown for their requirements. What size tank are these in? As these catfish, if not already, do get quite large and need a tank over 50 gallons. If I may, how did you mistake that for a loach? I've never seen any loach with the same body shape. And quite frankly horse faced loaches are very different from what you were sold. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...96&pcatid=1996 Oh and if you do have the right tank and keep them I'd just like to say that you got a good deal. I never see any farlowella species in my local stores and the cheapest species online are also $10 or more.

EDIT: After a bit more digging I'm almost positive the species you have is Farlowella acus. I hope that helps in figuring out its requirements.

Oh and next time you should probably check back here or online before you purchase an unknown species. Depending on your tank size and parameters this could turn out really badly, whether it be death of a fish, rehoming, or returning the fish to the store. And if this was another fish it could've turned out worse. It's always best to do research first so you don't end up here, not knowing what you have, scared that you might have bought something that can't survive in your tank or that will hurt your other fish. NEVER IMPULSE BUY.

[ddavis1979]

now, now, dont get too preachy. We ahve all had our impulse buys, right or wrong, and sometimes we have to seize opportunities when they arise.

I also have a farlowella catfish, its abotu 4-5 inches and does very well in my 55 gallon.

Like most plecos, it will spend the majority of its time hiding and loves to sucker lip on branch style driftwood. I wouldnt go so far as to call it a wood eating catfish like the Clown Pleco, but it may gain some additional nutrition from doing this. It is mainly a nocturnal vegitarian. I find that it will come and snack on traditional aquarium vegetables, cucumber, zucchini, and sweet potato, but presentation is needed. I have a thin wooden dowel rod that will spear a long sliver and stick in vertically in the tank over night and let it find the food like that. I have had mine for a few months now and its seems healthy, but I have only witnessed it eating once.

Is a cool looking fish for sure.

[talldutchie]

now, now, dont get too preachy. We ahve all had our impulse buys, right or wrong, and sometimes we have to seize opportunities when they arise.
.

Sorry but I disagree here. Perhaps you have, I know I haven't. And that doesn't make it right. The whole idea of fishkeeping is taking good care of your fish.

Anyway... I make it F. Acus. it's a relatively easy fish if you got a planted tank with some wood and algae and clean water. Only thing is it turns badly so it needs a big tank.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog...species_id=330

[ddavis1979]

There are a handful of farlowella cats out there, and its difficult to differentiate between some of the species. THis one could easily be a "Farlowella curtirostra" which only gets 6" max size, or the Vittata which gets 9". But I think they could be very comfortable in a tank as small as a 30 gallon. But its all opinions.

[talldutchie]

Well, it's certainly not an active swimmer but it also turns like a muscle car on a slippery road. Providing clean water and some vertical algae covered wood is already most of what it needs.

[Carapar56]

I'd have to agree. I've seen on youtube a bunch of videos of them swimming.. No matter what species of farlowella they all need wide spaces to turn in. Their bodies barely bend so when they do turn its almost as if they're staying stiff/straight the whole time. Either way their requirements were listed and shown in links above, but I also want to add that I've heard of a few farlowella species, farlowella acus included, that like an omnivorous diet. So if I were you, I'd offer them some meaty foods as well, just to test out exactly what they like.

[cardiocentric]

my tank is 60 gallons and i have absolutely everything it needs [driftwood, plants, algae/etc.]... :) kind of glad for the mistake seeing as they're a south american fish and my tank is mostly south american fish anyways.

[cardiocentric]

i fed some brine shrimp tonight for a "treat" with my other fish, and they seemed to perk up when i had 1/2 of the lights out. they seem to enjoy that too.

[cardiocentric]

i mistook them for a loach because i know NOTHING about loaches other than the kuhli, and that they eat snails. the hillstream loach looks really similar {flat and weird}, so i thought nothing of it at purchase. once i got home and google image searched, that was a different story.