Unexpected acquisition: Lamontichthys llanero

[bekateen]

Hi All,

Yesterday, I traded in 145

Auchenipterichthys coracoideus

and about 20

Ancistrus sp`Rio_Ucayali`

at a local wholesaler. They had a tank full of 7 smallish (~6-7 cm SL)

Lamontichthys llanero

. I deliberated about all the reasons I SHOULDN'T get them but in the end I did.

They appear healthy and they were eating well in the wholesaler (fresh poop in tank after being in wholesaler tank for 2 weeks). For now, they are in QT in a 20 gallon long tank, but where they go next IDK. I just picked up 3 more used 33 gallon long tanks, and I will get another 33L next week, so one of those may become their forever home.

The best part was this: I got the 7 fish + $90 worth of food and other dry goods, and I STILL left with $100 more in my pocket than when I arrived.

More details to follow.

Cheers, Eric

[HaakonH]

Nice catch! I find them quite easy to deal with once they decide to feed (meaning their gut system is working properly), then they are active and can hold their own even in a tank with other similar fish. They eat practically everything and are in many ways much like Sturisomatichthys - very enjoyable fish!

- Haakon

[dw1305]

Hi all,

..... They had a tank full of 7 smallish (~6-7 cm SL)

Lamontichthys llanero

. I deliberated about all the reasons I SHOULDN'T get them but in the end I did.

Nice, have a look at <"Lamontichthys llanero tank setup?">.

The late Bob Marklew (@macvsog23) was an extremely meticulous and competent fish-keeper. There is also comment from @Shane and @Jools in the thread.

cheers Darrel

[bekateen]

Thanks! I also see this thread with info: "Lamontichthys sp. Colombia"

Cheers, Eric

[Jools]

Yeah, I love this fish (one I collected) and agree with all of the above. They do need sparkling water - by that I mean decent DO. There's a spawning report in Baensch, catfish atlas.

Cheers,

Jools

[bekateen]

20 gallon long QT tank set up is as follows: Thin layer of pool filter sand substrate, 3 pieces of Manzanita and other wood, air-driven Matten filter, temperature 76F/24.4C, TDS 90ppm, pH 5.6. Extra water current provided by an Aquarium Masters model 10 wave maker, 1320 gph, positioned just below the water surface and pointing straight down to the tank floor (blasting all the sand away from one corner of the tank).

Hopefully they like this long enough until I can create a larger home for them.

[bekateen]

Dang. Sad to say these seem to have gone the way they do with so many other fish keepers. I found one dead 5 days ago. Did a 70% WC. Found two more dead two days later. Did a 75% WC. I was gone for two days over the Thanksgiving holiday and came home today to find the rest dead.

Their stomachs were slightly hollow, so apparently they weren't eating... or at least not well... but they weren't horribly hollow. Their deaths over such a short period suggests to me something more to do with either water conditions or disease, although I saw no signs of disease.

Oh well. Hopefully better success with the next species. (No purchases planned soon, just wishful thinking for the future)

[Mexnotex]

Hello Bekateen,
Sad to hear the news. It reminds me of a pair of Corydoras that I acquired a couple years ago, and now they are Hoplisoma thanatos. I think I got them in bad same and were very skittish. I fed them good, did water changes every other day to no avail, within the week they perished. It got me thinking the big water changes maybe stressed the fish more than help. I asked the opinion of well season breeder on this situation at CatCon and he agreed with me. Chances were that they could not be helped either way. Too stressed for them to eat.
I am trying to do smaller water changes weekly on some spawning projects, as these may bring too much stress, and I will see if these changes bring any good results. Not trying to stressed them too much,

Cheers
Martin

[bekateen]

Hi Martin,

You might be right. There are so many factors I can do differently next time. Here are the things I'd try:

• lower water current (these fish had a significant strong water current provided by a wavemaker... I thought they liked it because typically I'd find two fish in the current every day; the other fish would be on a floating wood log near the water current or on the Matten filter away from the current).
• treat with prophylactic anti-parasitic meds.
• paint Repashy food on sticks
• smaller, more frequent water changes

... hopefully there is a next time.

Cheers, Eric

[dw1305]

Hi all,

• lower water current (these fish had a significant strong water current provided by a wavemaker... I thought they liked it because typically I'd find two fish in the current every day; the other fish would be on a floating wood log near the water current or on the Matten filter away from the current).
• treat with prophylactic anti-parasitic meds.
• paint Repashy food on sticks
• smaller, more frequent water changes

... hopefully there is a next time.

I remember seeing them at Bob Marklew's (@macvsog23) house in about 2010 (unfortunately shortly before his death). He must have been about the only person to have had long term success with them.

This is what I wrote:
<"https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=209044#p209044">

cheers Darrel

[bekateen]

Hi all,

I remember seeing them at Bob Marklew's (@macvsog23) house in about 2010 (unfortunately shortly before his death). He must have been about the only person to have had long term success with them.

This is what I wrote:
<"https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=209044#p209044">

cheers Darrel

Thanks for sharing this Darrel. Yes I saw that post. In hindsight, my water current shouldn't have been an issue.

Cheers, Eric