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I bought a TINY Chaetostoma sp. sold s common rubber lips. He was under an inch or just at an inch when I bought him a little under a year ago. As he as grown (almost 2") his tail fin has turned red. My question is this - are there any other chaetostoma that have red tail fin? His dorsal fin is NOT red - like the L276 photos in the cat e-log. I am TRYING very desperately to get a good photo of him but this has GOT to be the fastest fish in my tank! He just learned to eat off a fork (lettuce, cantaloupe and mushrooms are his favorite) but he is a VERY diligent algae eater. If I can get a photo or a good one, I will put them up, too... here is the only one I could get that isn't completely blurred

I don't think this is L276. That said, I have no idea what it could be.

Possibly - it is a fairly common export.

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Mats

MatsP wrote:Possibly

Chaetostoma sp(L443)

- it is a fairly common export.

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Mats

Based on markings, that was my first thought too, but the red tail threw me. The pics of L276 do seem to show the red colouring on the caudle peduncle as well as the fin, but nowhere as bright as that displayed on this fish.
If siluris says no to L276, then i'd take that as correct, but I have no idea either, unless it's sp(2) with some sort of disease, but it doesn't seem likely.
Sorry, that doesn't really help does it!
Martin

You are right, the red tail is not right on sp(2).

Also, it's not L276 - the fish in the first two photos are suffering from Whitespot disease, it does not normally have white spots - the spots are black in this fish.

Which probably means that you have a yet undescribed/undocuments species. If you can, try to find out where it came from and any other information possible from your LFS. Also, send photos to Jools for publication - it will most likely become Chaetostoma sp(5).

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Mats

Also - my fish has some spots going past his head - which chaetostoma sp 2 do not seem to have, although I am unaware if that disqualifies that sp or not? His tail fin started turning red just at the edges and has slowly turned to what you now see... so it may be possible for him to still turn a different color - I must say though, such a dramatic color change was very surprising! I surely hope he is not diseased, and if he is has been living with it for almost a year and no other fish show ill effects. I now shop at a local store that is pretty knowledgeable and can order me fish- but this fish was my last one bought at a "big chain store" and so I have no hope of finding out WHERE he came from... I wish I did. If anyone wants the picture though- they can use it. If I get any better ones I will post them, too - also if in some time he does change more color. thank you!
edit: I have TONS of shots of his belly, if that would help, but I didn't think it would or I would have put them up...

What about Chaetostoma Fischeri? Just noticed the one picture has some red on the fish... I am unsure if the 'bars' on the fish may be due to stress or not?

Hey,

in my very, very humble opinion it is some sort of Gastromyzon or related hillstream loach species. Marking is perfect, body shape also (if you use your imagination to straighten the image) and take a closer look on tuberculates on a head (especially on mouth you can clearly see them).
Just photo and pose of fish makes it really tricky to identify since it looks like Chaetostoma.

Regards.

But Gastromyzon species appear to all share one trait: The paired (pelvic and pectoral) fins overlap. I'm pretty sure it's a Chaetostoma.

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Mats

Defiantly not a Gastromyzon.

I'll be inclined to suggest Chaetostoma of some form.

Sorry I know his body is weird looking in the photo but he is SO fast that is the only one I got of him! He is "bent" looking for some food, I believe.. so his body shape in reality is a lot more like that of a typical chaetostoma...

Hey,

thanks for comment Graeme
Well it is very strange Chaetostoma then

It looks very much like the red-finned variety of Chaetostoma lineopunctatum. It is not in Cat-elog for some reason. Maybee it has another name?

More photos would be nice

Haavard Stoere wrote:It looks very much like the red-finned variety of Chaetostoma lineopunctatum. It is not in Cat-elog for some reason. Maybee it has another name?

More photos would be nice

I just looked at the C. lineopunctatum pics in Wels Atlas 2.

The pics there show black spots, not white spots.

I agree! The dark/light coloration seems inverted. Could it be stress colour?

the white spots seem a big obstacle but hehas always more or less looked the same. He is near impossible to photograph but I will try tonight. Zucchini is for dinner, though melon is his favorite. Hopefully he will be cooperative because this is sort of driving me nuts. He is a great little fish, though. also- I've had him a year-so supposing that isn't his natural color how would you know? And what on earth would do that?

think L276 IS lineopunctatus. Which is what I thought... But those darn spots.