Horse Face Loaches? Opinions?

[fishcollector7000]

hi guys what are your opinions on horse face loaches??? i have a sand as my base and plants will they uplift these the lfs told me they are destructive!

 

[Fate2006]

they certainly are interesting IMO as for uprooting the plants I don't know... Trial and error perhaps? or just get fake plants with heavy bases, they shouldn't be able to move those at all

 

[fishcollector7000]

yeah there very entertaining when i went to the fish store i just saw all these heads poking out! lol i have a heavier substrate that my plants are rooted in. i was just wondering what experience people had of these guys!

 

[The-Wolf]

make sure they are true horsefaced loaches Acantopsis choirorhynchus and not the similar fish, longnosed loach Acantopsis octoactinotos
horsefaces are ok in groups and are suitable for comunities, longnoses are suitable as a simgal speciamine in a tank with similarly aggressive fish

 

[fishcollector7000]

Im not rushing to anything im just querying these fish as a possibility is there size differences with these two types HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH WHICH IS WHICH???

 

[The-Wolf]

taken from loaches online
Acantopsis octoactinotos is a long slender fish with an elongated snout. This fish looks similar to the Horsefaced loach (A. choirorhynchus), but is slower growing. It can be distinguished from that species in a number of ways. The snout of the Long-nose loach does not slope downward, as it does in the Horsefaced loach. Also, this loach does not bury itself in the substrate as frequently, nor completely cover itself, and prefers to hide under large rocks or sit on top of them. It is more aggressive than (A. choirorhynchus), and for this reason it is best kept with larger compatible species that will be able to handle such behavior.

 

[fishcollector7000]

Ah cheers the ones i saw buried rite under but that is useful to know ! so Thanks!!!

 

[flamingonhot]

They may not uproot your plants, but nice one with putting them in a tank with sand. If you put them in gravel- you'll never see them.

 

[fishcollector7000]

i have read it is better for them also.i have a hoplo and he filtersthrough the sand, for food through his gills its wicked!