Fish ID please.

[Tuck]

Mums tank again... So because I moved the comets into the pond she decided she had room for another fish before she upgrades at Christmas... She said it was labeled as "sucker loach" it was in the cold water section of the store.

I'm going out to the store with her later to get the substrate and some decor for the 25g do I need to return this fish? Or will it be ok in the 10g until Christmas and then be ok in a 25?





Sorry about the pic it's new and hiding... It's dead centre of the photo.

 

[Tuck]

Better photo

 

[Samzter]

Chinese or Siamese algae eater. Can grow bigger than a foot.

 

[severum mama]

Definitely a Chinese algae eater.
Gyrinocheilus aymonieri – Sucking ‘Loach’ — Seriously Fish

 

[mrvincent]

This is a Siamensis Algae Eater or a Flying Fox (They look very similar).

This is NOT a Chinese algea eater (Gyrinocheilus)

They get 15cm long. In my case I have 3 of them (8cm long at now) in a 29g and they look fine and happy.


This fish will be happy in a 10g for a short time. When I will get too big I would suggest you rehome it. It's a good hair algae cleaner.

Personally I've kept a Gyrino (they more agressive) for 1 year in a 10g and he was cleaning and hiding instead of aggresive.

 

[severum mama]

Take a closer look at the juvenile photo in the profile above, and compare to the OP's photo. The "checkerboard" pattern is fairly obvious in the OP's second photo. I really do not think this is either an SAE or a flying fox.

 

[mrvincent]

Take a closer look at the juvenile photo in the profile above, and compare to the OP's photo. The "checkerboard" pattern is fairly obvious in the OP's second photo. I really do not think this is either an SAE or a flying fox.

I already had a Gyrino and it don't look like this...

I say that because of the black stripe, it's not "transparent" black...

Hey Tuck, compare wich of these picture is your fish. (Look at the head and the mouth carefully, they very differents).

This is a SAE:

This is a gyrino:

 

[flitabout]

I just looked up sucker loaches and they are chinese algae eaters. If that's what it is take it back to the store now!!!!!!!

 

[aqua_chem]

I agree with Chinese algae eater. You can see vertical bars along the dominant lateral stripe that is iconic of CAE (is that what you mean by checkerboard?). Also, notice that SAE's vertical stripe continues into the tail fin, whereas this guy's strip ends at his tail-body junction, and his tail is in fact speckled.

 

[severum mama]

I've kept hundreds of SAEs. This is not one of them, IMHO.

 

[mrvincent]

I agree with Chinese algae eater. You can see vertical bars along the dominant lateral stripe that is iconic of CAE (is that what you mean by checkerboard?). Also, notice that SAE's vertical stripe continues into the tail fin, whereas this guy's strip ends at his tail-body junction, and his tail is in fact speckled.

Look at the head and the mouth...

 

[mrvincent]

I must admit the dorsal fin look more like a CAE

 

[mrvincent]

But note that I already kept a CAE in a 10g with lot of hiding places and I never had problems for 1 year... But it grow fast.

 

[Tuck]

I already had a Gyrino and it don't look like this... I say that because of the black stripe, it's not "transparent" black... Hey Tuck, compare wich of these picture is your fish. (Look at the head and the mouth carefully, they very differents). This is a SAE: This is a gyrino:

It's the second picture it looks identical here he came out earlier.

 

[aqua_chem]

Look at the head and the mouth...

Hard to tell from the pick, but it looks like his mouth is a downward pointing suckermouth, which CAE have and SAE lack.

 

[Tuck]

I think it is a gyrino? Would it be ok in the 10g till Christmas and then be ok in the 25g (31" long) long term?

 

[severum mama]

I think it is a gyrino? Would it be ok in the 10g till Christmas and then be ok in the 25g (31" long) long term?

Definitely.

I would not attempt to house this fish in a 25 gallon for the long term. I kept one in a 55 gallon with a decent sized severum and adult firemouth, until it grew to about 6 inches. IME the aggression increases with age/size and mine was too aggressive even for my cichlids. I had to take it back.

 

[Tuck]

Definitely. I would not attempt to house this fish in a 25 gallon for the long term. I kept one in a 55 gallon with a decent sized severum and adult firemouth, until it grew to about 6 inches. IME the aggression increases with age/size and mine was too aggressive even for my cichlids. I had to take it back.

Thanks for that it's going back tonight! Haha. Might have a word with the staff to....

 

[mrvincent]

Thanks for that it's going back tonight! Haha. Might have a word with the staff to....

Ya if you can't rehome it bring it back. Compare with the dorsal fin, SAE have clear defined dorsal fin, CAE have transparent and round dorsal fin.

 

[severum mama]

Thanks for that it's going back tonight! Haha. Might have a word with the staff to....

If I may...
A polite word with the staff will go a long way with facilitating a return or exchange. Everyone makes mistakes.

If you are polite with the staff and they still won't accept the fish for a return, then I would get a little less polite.