So what new addition did you get lately?

8 African Jewels 4 Giraffe cichlids and 1 Zonatus

 

Nice!

 

Yesterday I picked up two more African Leaf fish/ leopard bush fish and a butterfly pleco..

 

Those bush fish are awesome! I got two bolivian rams yesterday..

 

nice, where did you get them ?

 

@GregM are those the same as leopard gouramis?

 

Euro Spirit got them in for me, I asked two weeks ago.. They still had about 15..

 

I wonder where the misnomer "butterfly pleco" came from? All pet shops seem to label hill stream loaches as that. Considering how different their needs are, I seriously don't see the similarity at all.

 

@SterlingAce,they are often sold as Leopard Goramis which I believe is not an accurate name. They are also Labyrinth fish which is I think where the misnaming comes in. But I really love them, they are by far my current favourite fish right now. They are predatory and watching them hunt shrimp is amazing. Mine do not take anything other than brine shrimp and live ghosties.

 

@Broder there is apparently a lot of confusion between hill stream loaches and these plecos. the species I have is identical to the fish in the link below.

http://fishlaboratory.com/fish/butterfly-pleco

 

Yup... It's web pages like that, that are to blame.

 

That is a hillstream loach, species Sewellia lineolata. Butterfly pleco is a trade name for them, but they aren't actually related to plecos. Weirdly enough, the scientific names on that page are all actual plecos from actual South America; if you look up those names you will see they are different fish that don't look like the photo. Your guy is actually from fast-flowing, coolish streams in Asia.

 

To be honest I bought it on the advice of the LPS who are normally very good. I wasn't familiar with the fish but based on the info I received it seemed viable, its such an interesting looking fish but he's going to be unhappy where he is.

 

Good excuse to start up a new tank

 

Thanks @PsyXe I did actually realise this yesterday but I thought id get away with nobody knowing until I found a home for him lol (mildly embarrassed) super noob mistake.

I would love to make a purpose built hill stream for him but I don't think ill get away with that, I'm in enough trouble with the amount of time I spend on the current setup. I will however run the idea by my "financial director" and hope for her approval.

thanks again.

 

Not really a noob mistake, if the info on the web is ambiguous. Don't be even mildly embarrassed

If your tanks temp remains lowish for most of the year, you have strong flow in the tank, and some aufwuchs on your rocks, you'll be ok with them. They do much better in groups though.

 

Dekeyseria Brachyura is commonly known as a butterfly plec. Think they're also called flounder plecs, but stand corrected on that.

 

@Broder, sadly Im developing a heavily planted, lower light, West African biotope, he is going to be very, very unhappy. However as we speak google is working madly scouring hill stream biotopes and getting a little excited.......

 

Lifestyle got some new stock ... among them loads of plants from Anubias and some sexy rock from China.



Now the trick is to find a tank that needs some rock love.

Later Ferdie

 

Hey all, just a quick note for all the members around the Durban area. I went to Euro Spirit for the first time today as I was in the area and I was very impressed, this is a must go to shop if you are looking for anything anywhere near Durban. Most importantly I found this !! I have been looking everywhere for this stuff.. Its not I great shape but I go the whole piece, will hopefully be able to offer to those who want once I get it growing.

Bolbitis heudelotii.