Vaillantella maassi??

[shazam26]

Hey everyone, I've recently stumbled upon this rare type of loach, and haven't been able to find much info on it (outside the loach site, of course)
Does anybody have any of these?
Could somebody tell me what they're like, and any interesting info?
Apparently they come in by luck with kuhli shipments.

[shari2]

not fair. I've been wanting this fish for years. I've never seen it around my area yet. Even asked to see if the lfs's round here could get them. no such luck.

Graeme keeps them. He can chime in hopefully.

[shazam26]

Ohhh graaaaaaeeeeemmmmeeeee.........

You know, you could set up a few mini-hot tubs, set a few tiny buckets of pricey miniature liqueurs, put on some Barry White... toss in some boxes of wrapped bloodworms... who knows, maybe put those rare little buggers in the mood.

... If only it were that easy

[Graeme Robson]

Yes, Jim and I keep these Special Loaches.

Most definitely not one of the "common" species as you know. At first mine wouldn't go near or attempt to eat commercial preparations (flake/wafers/pellets). But now after a good few months if not nearly a year, they do often have a nibble at them. What they will eat is a varied of insect larvae, crustaceans and detritus. Most liked is the good old frozen Bloodworm's and Shrimp. Nothing that stands to going for any vegetable matter. Since mine have a favorite area under a piece of wood, i drop the food around that area and watch them basically "snap" out and eat some, then retreat just as fast. But in the evening or late at night i often see them out and about "sniffing" for food.

In there natural habitat they live with many Pangio's and some Nem's, also some Betta species. Behavior with Pangio's and Pepper loaches (in my tank) have no problems what so ever with each other. I often see them all "huddled" together and sliding around and up and over each other. I do have two that always seem to be together and what a times looks likes they are sparing each other. They sometimes are side by side and start "nudging" each other and little bites to each others faces. No damage is seen. Two males fighting for a female? Or a male and female? I'll have to wait and see. Another interesting sighting was the way they often "air off" their stomaches. They perch their frontal part of their body up in the air with their Ventral fins and slowly sway their body from side to side. It often makes me think of them eating like this in the wild with them half out of cover whilst doing this.

Leaf litter is loved by Pangio's and V. maassi and other fish species (even Apistos). I did keep Almond leaves in some of my tanks, but the maintenance of them is extra. Although Pangio's and V.Maassi come from them conditions in the wild a good water changing regime will be needed.

The nares is a key to a strong sense of smell for fish. The ability to move water rapidly over these sensory pads increase their sense's. So could we say that they have good eye-sight with poor sensory pads meaning the need to do this "air off" position for food. Their coloration is a form of camouflage in the the wild with leaf-litter and twigs etc. Perhaps one of the reasons why we don't see this amazing loach in hobbyist aquariums.

One of mine.


Oh yes! If i could Breed these, then i would be >>

[Jim Powers]

I can't really add much to what Graeme has said about these cool fish.
Congratulations! You have made a great find!

[shazam26]

They are gorgeous fish! Thanks for the contributions, LOL is really the only place that seems to know anything! Very rare with the internet, huh? Seeing these guys are so hard to get, wouldn't it be hard to find one a companion? Wouldn't a sole one get lonely?
Getting them a companion doesn't seem easy. Or, do they get along fine with similar fish in their family, like P. doriae?
And these guys are not sold commercially? Is it because they're difficult to catch because of their camo-coloring?

[Graeme Robson]

They are indeed not popular with collectors who have a living with catching ornamental fish for the aquarium trade. There's a lot of factors of why these fish are classed as rare. Mainly it's the region in which they live in. Wasted funds for the expeditions with terrain that is only walkable for days with little fish collections isn't going to go down to well with suppliers. Finding them as a contaminant is often pure luck, unless your lfs owner is willing to be added to the waiting list of when they become available, with a high price tag.

A lone specimen should be housed with fellow loaches from the natural habitat, yes.

[Jim Powers]

All this talk of V. maasai made me want to check to make sure both were still alive. I don't see mine as much as I would like and can usually on see one of the two at a time. I did some gravel cleaning and plant trimming in that tank tonight and sure enough, both are still there, looking as fat and sassy as ever.

[Graeme Robson]

I know what you mean, Jim. I mostly see the little chap out of the four i keep.