ID please. Listed as Giant Oto from Segrest Farms

[bekateen]

Hi All,

A LFS near me got these fish today. They are larger than any other "giant otos" I've ever seen (I estimate they are 6-7cm SL) and stockier, and their coloration seems a bit different. Maybe the color just reflects large size/old age, IDK.

Thoughts?

Cheers, Eric

[Shane]

Take a look at

Hypoptopoma elongatum

Never understood why this genus is not more common in the hobby. They can be found in huge numbers near many areas that are hubs for fish exportation.
-Shane

[bekateen]

Thanks Shane. I'll take another look at the fish after they've settled in at the store in a few days.

Cheers, Eric

[bekateen]

More photos today of the same fish at the LFS. These are retailing for around $30 each.

Cheers, Eric

[bekateen]

Thought I'd take a look at the ventral side of these fish and compare to other species. Not sure this fish is a good match for either species.... Again how does appearance change with size (since these are bigger than any I've seen before)? I emailed Sandy at Segrest Farms to ask for more information. Let's see if that bears any fruit.

Cheers, Eric

[Shane]

Sorry, but $30 dollars for a fish you can catch by the hundreds in a few minutes seems crazy to me. Also, no need to venture far from a major town to collect them. Lastly, natural lifespan is longer than Otocinclus but not by a lot. This is not a fish that is likely to still be going strong 5-6 years down the road.

I have kept maybe 2-3 spp collected in Colombia and Venezuela. They always did best in planted tanks with quiet tankmates like tetras and small Corydoras. Fresh vegetables must be available at all times. They combine well with other peaceful grazing loricariids like Sturisomatichthys and Farlowella.

-Shane