Need Help With Identification

[porkribs]

Hi all ...

I am very new to the whole planted tank ... probably just a month old. Initially started off with just gravel and fishes but am now starting to put in plants and even thinking of switching to soil based. This is a terrific hobby, I must say.

Well, the other day i went to a local store and bought myself a new plant and two algae eaters. I was suppose to ask for their scientific name but of course being too happy about my new additions, i totally forgot about it and it is quite a hassle for me to go all the way back to the town just to check their names. So I'm just wondering if any gurus here are able to help me to identify their names ???

Thank you in advance.


Supposedly an Otocinclus?

Supposedly a banana plant?

 

[SuperColey1]

The fish is a hillstream loach, sometimes known as a butterfly plec/Borneo sucker. (Beaufortia kweichowensis)

This fish prefers cooler / cold water!!!! (18-24ºC) aand should be in a minimum tank size of (approx) 100 litres. Only gets to about the 4 inch mark though when fully grown.

It will however eat algae just as Otos do.

One major point though is they like a decent current in the tank like a river (hence hillstream) and due to their need for cooler waters there aren't too many compatible companions in the tropical range of fish. Best bet are White Cloud Mountain Minnows. I wouldn't buy any more fish from this shop if they told you this was an Oto!!!

The plant is Anubias by the look of it.

AC

 

[aaronnorth]

shocking advice from the shop, looks nothing like an ottocinclus specie lol - definatley a hillstream loach & anubias barteri

 

[porkribs]

Hi all, thank you for the speedy reply. Hmm ... sure is a dodgy shop. It was labeled as Oto. No wonder why it wouldn't get close to those cucumber. I have a very small nano tank and temperature is lukewarm (sorry i dont have the readings). I probably should return the fishies to the shop.

Thanks again all.

 

[Rlon35]

Hillstream Loach. Did the LFS call it that or is that just what the tank was labeled? soemtimes, they forget to change the names when they add different species to a holding tank, but, if they actually called it an oto, I'd start using another store...lol.

 

[loubega]

Definately a Borneo sucker, and anubias..grows very well when tied to bogwood

 

[porkribs]

@Rlon35
Well it wasn't the staffs who told me verbally, but the labeling on top of the tank. Btw, what is LFS? Sorry ... I'm new to the forum too.

@Loubega
Thanks for the tips. I will going to several stores tomorrow to shop for soil (considering Amazonia 2) and get some bogwoods / driftwoods for those plants.

 

[fish.com1]

@Rlon35
Well it wasn't the staffs who told me verbally, but the labeling on top of the tank. Btw, what is LFS? Sorry ... I'm new to the forum too.

@Loubega
Thanks for the tips. I will going to several stores tomorrow to shop for soil (considering Amazonia 2) and get some bogwoods / driftwoods for those plants.

lfs is local fish shop.

 

[loubega]

@Rlon35
Well it wasn't the staffs who told me verbally, but the labeling on top of the tank. Btw, what is LFS? Sorry ... I'm new to the forum too.

@Loubega
Thanks for the tips. I will going to several stores tomorrow to shop for soil (considering Amazonia 2) and get some bogwoods / driftwoods for those plants.

LFS= local fish store/shop

maybe they had previously had otto's in there, or maybe they were in there with the borneo's but had all been sold etc.....was there absolutly no sign for the borneo's? often at my LFS they have maybe 2 tanks next to each other with them in but only label one.....

eitherway they are great fish, have alovely shape to them....

 

[SuperColey1]

Hopefully they had Otos in there before and labelled incorrectly otherwise they had coldwater fish and Tropical fish in the same tank!!!

One tip. If you are going to use Amazonia2 (unless it is different to normal amazonia) then you are going to need to get the fishies out for a few weeks anyway to allow for the ammonia within ADA AS

AC

 

[porkribs]

gulp ... few weeks. If that is the case i might need to pass.
I only have gravel and it makes planting very difficult ..

anyway anyone used co2 tablets before? are those stuff real?

 

[Goodygumdrops]

The plant you have chosen there and certain others,java fern,mosses,etc,don't need a nutrient rich substrate as their roots don't grow in the substrate.(As mentioned above you attach it to bogwood and it will cling to it over time).So if you're a bit nervous of changing your substrate,you could go down this route and still have a very nice planted tank.(I'd advise to get an all in one plant fert as these plants will take nutition straight from the water,co2 either by injection or diy if you feel up to it,if not,you can also get Easycarbo etc to add that will give your plants a supply of co2).

BTW,if you have planted the roots of your plant in the gravel,take it out and let it float until you get a bit of bogwood to tie it to.