Acantopsis/Acanthopsoides?

[Emma Turner]

I have been meaning to post these pics for about 2 months. These little loaches came direct from Borneo under the "Long Nose Loach - Acantopsis dialuzona" nametag. This supplier supplies many wholesalers, and I have noticed "A. dialuzona" turning up on their lists recently. However, I wonder if they really are A. dialuzona. They look very much like Acanthopsoides molobrion to me, but what does everyone else think? When they came in they were tiny (3cm TL) and very underweight. All pics except the last one, were taken 1 week after import:





































And lastly a more recent shot, showing them in the stock tank:



You can see a few heads buried under the sand, but for the most part, they seem to stay above the substrate. When startled, they shoal together just above the substrate.

Emma

[Emma Turner]

Anyone got any opinions on these?

[starsplitter7]

I don't think it is fair, you get such gorgeous, interesting, neat fish. Why can't I find anything like that?

But of course, you're looking fr an ID, and I would have no idea, but they look like my dwarf horse heads.

[Graeme Robson]

Gorgeous!!

They do look alot like the Acanthopsoides molobrion don't they. I wonder if TDO could clarify it.

[The.Dark.One]

Yeah, I agree on A. molobrion. One of the features to diagnose Acantopsis from Acanthopsoides is that in Acantopsis the suborbital spine is clearly anterior to the eye, whereas in Acanthopsoides it is under or partly anterior to the eye. In these fish part of it is under the eye.

If they are from Borneo it narrows it to A. molobrion or A. robertsi. A. robertsi has a V shape in the caudal which is missing in your fish.

Lovely fish and photo's as usual!

[Emma Turner]

Thank you so much for your help TDO.

Emma

[mickthefish]

i looked for them, but could'nt find them.
where were you hiding them Emma.?

mick

[Emma Turner]

They were on the bottom row of the 'loach section' near the Y. sidthimunki etc. But as you know they are tiny and pretty well camoflaged against the silica sand.

Emma

[soul-hugger]

Great Pictures!! They're cute little guys, aren't they? They do look a little underweight, but I'm sure under your care they will put on some size in no time!

I have no idea on the ID, but they do look like some sort of Horse-Faces. So many Loaches so closely resemble each other, it can be difficult to tell. I have three small, dark, Kuhli-type Loaches, I still don't know the species. Unfortunately, I don't have a digital camera. TDO, are you a fish ID expert? It's great when you can give pointers that help in the ID, especially with small Loaches that are alike right down to a small detail that may go unnoticed to the untrained eye.

It is nice if they don't hide all the time. I have heard these loaches are often found under the substrate.

Best of Luck to You.,
soul-hugger