Hillstream Loache Ill

[mikev]

By the way, how could you resist gastros?

I possibly misjudged them based on what I saw at the store.--please remember I'm new to the hillstreams.

I see Chenis (if these are Chenis) constantly doing something: polish a piece of the glass, jump to a plant, jump to the ground... Gastros, otoh, were simply stuck to the glass without any motion. They are nice, and my daughter is asking to get a few all the time, but -- just to me -- they look like simply another fish. Chenis and even more so SpA are enjoyable to watch.

[Jim Powers]

Just take a look at some of Martin's pics. They are gorgeous fish and tend to be rather active. Maybe the ones you have seen are in less than desirable conditions. Less than desirable oxygen levels can make these fish lethargic.

[mikev]

No offense to gastros meant, and I'm sure you are right about the store conditions (but chenis were active even in the dump I found them); it is also that I don't think I should have any more species in the new tank, and let it be fully S.China.

I'm beginning to think that "gorgeous" applies to all hillstreams (even if my wife calls them "ugly little gray things" ).

My own current dream list is
2-3 more SpA (asap, for a stable population, I don't know if I would be able to get any more of them later. Cheni's can be found.)
Any other Vantanmenia species (there are about 12)
P.myersi (more colorful than P.cheni, it seems)
H.confuzona
If I can find any of these, a 2nd hillstream tank will happen, and it will have place for "suckers".

[Jim Powers]

Well, everyone has their preferences. I had wanted gastros for a couple of years before I was able to find them. They were way up on my wish list. I had to bring some home from the Boston area after visiting friends. Since then, they have started showing up here once or twice a year.
Confuzona, on the other hand, were high on my list, too. I found two and had them for a bit before they died. Last year I managed to get one from someone who had it for five or six years. Unfortunately, it was and old fish and I eventually died of old age.
Many hillstream species will only show up once or once in awhile. I found a whole shipment of Protomyzons several years ago, but haven't seen them since.I also found some Psuedogastro species that I couldn't identify, several years ago, but haven't seen them since either. Psuedogastromyzon fasciatus was very common about 4years ago, but seems to be very rare now. Sinogastromyzons show up once in awhile with beaufortia, but don't seem to show up as much as they once did. L. disparis doesn't seem to show up as much in goby shipments anymore either. I also, don't see as many oddball homaloptera species in with H. smithi. So, with hillstreams it seems that you better get them when you can, at least the less common species.
So, you may have trouble finding any more Vanmanenia.
And, according to some sources, what we have been calling P. cheni is actually P. myersi, so stay tuned.

[mikev]

Very interesting things you are saying....(as always)

So Confuzona actually may be a difficult species to keep, not just find?

I'll rethink on Gastros, but no action until the tank has been running steady for a week (still ammonia -- insert a dirty word here). (Actually, I'm somewhat sure I can have them any time I want for the next few months).

On Vanmanenia: I think I can get more of SpA. In the very worst case, given their low price, I would consider guaranteeing the importer that he does not lose money on another mix "green hillstream" shipment. (It adds up to much less than the cost already put into the tank.) Getting other Van. sp. would be harder, perhaps impossible. Confuzona may be possible the same way (guarantee), but the price probably would be quite high.

On P.Cheni vs P.Myersi: sounds like the now familiar mess seen with Pangios, Schisturas, Yoyos,.... I guess we have to wait for the genetic study of the hillstreams, at least on the level of what has been already done for Botia's--it surely answered some questions that bugged me.

On Oddballs: yes, I actually have a list of five stores that may have hillstreams and are within a few miles. The first one had Chenis (and some interesting real Plecos too), there are four more to check, and then I can increase the radius...

[Jim Powers]

I wouldn't necessarily say confuzona are difficult to keep...find...yes.
Like many hillstreams, they either thrive or they die. If this species thrives and adapts quickly to the foods offered, it is one of the most interesting and outgoing hillstreams to keep.
Martin had one for many years and can attest to that.
They have shown up in some areas lately as "red myanmar loach", so keep your eyes open.
The whole contaminant/oddball situation is one of the most interesting things about keeping hillstreams. Many come in as contaminants or mixed shipments. Gastros are usually mixed species. Homaloptera smithi often come mixed with H. zollengeri, H. yunnanensis, as well as other homalopteras. I got confuzona in a shipment like this. I also have some homaloptera/balitora types that I am not sure what they are. So its always interesing.

[mikev]

Really fascinating. I thought that my episode of Green Hillstreams being a mix of four species (SpA/SpB/SpC/gobys) was unique....but it seems that mess is universal. I guess life is more interesting this way.

I also realized that I may in the worse mess than I thought. SpA may be SpA1+SpA2 after all. They do have slightly different color (very visible on the last picture on the other thread), and some have 2 rings on the tails and others have 3....

Since this is about Chinese fish, there is an appropriate old Chinese curse:
May your life be interesting....

(groan)

[Jim Powers]

Well, using L. disparis as a comparison, there is quite a variation in the body color patterns. The overall base color will lighten and darken according to mood. So, it my not be anything more than that.

[mikev]

Draft version of the flier (PDF link):

http://www.filelodge.com/files/room17/4 ... -draft.pdf

Have fun --- comments are welcome.

I'd like to have a couple more like this on different subjects (not hillstreams)....

[shari]

Very nice Mike! Kudo's

[Graeme Robson]

I'll "hum" and "har" just because i like to.......butt


I cant see anything!! *file is damaged*

[mikev]

Thanks, Shari!

I'll "hum" and "har" just because i like to.......butt


I cant see anything!! *file is damaged*

Strange, I saw it ok from a different computer just now. Try downloading the file, possibly your browser is not configured for .pdf links.

[Graeme Robson]

Strange, I saw it ok from a different computer just now. Try downloading the file, possibly your browser is not configured for .pdf links.

Nope.


Now it works.

[TammyLiz]

If you're going to include rosy barbs on there, why not odessas, too?

[Jim Powers]

I really don't know that much about Odessa's as far as how they feel about current, but you have to remember, this is a brief fact sheet. Not every species of potential dithers is mentioned.