Need another identification

[Jim Powers]

I know you have said they were a bit fiesty, but they sure are cute.

[mikev]

That's odd, mikev.
Check this out from fishbase.
http://www.fishbase.org/Nomenclature/Sy ... =hoffmanni

Looks like fishbase is messed up here. both species quote Herre, 1938.

But there is another page on H.Hoffmani:

http://filaman.ifm-geomar.de/Summary/sp ... =hoffmanni

[Jim Powers]

Interesting. But we can't seem to find a pic of hoffmani, either.

[mikev]

I know you have said they were a bit fiesty, but they sure are cute.

Not a bit. It did kill a Cheni. It is much more aggressive than my schisturas.

But it is really entertaining, and fortunately Beaufortia's and Sewellia's are all large enough to deal with it.

TBH, right now I'd really love to get a few more. Mine is fat to the degree I suspect it to be gravid.

[mikev]

One comment on Frank's schisturas (I saw them personally a week ago): I cannot even guess on the ID, but my feeling was that the paleness had something to do with low-light conditions the fish may be accustomed to. of course I can be dead wrong on this, but this felt interesting.

[Jim Powers]

This is the closest thing I can find that might be your fish.(#129) Its hard to see in this pic, but it does have the same whiskers as your fish.
You can really see the whiskers on the #130.
http://www.ibsfu.fudan.edu.cn/Database/ ... /book2.htm

[mikev]

:D:D

Fantastic, Jim!

It is certainly around crossosoma. I think this one is an even better match:


Crossostoma lacustre

(This is NOT the right match: this is a Taiwan species. But it is the only decent picture of a crossostoma around)

[Jim Powers]

Yes, that does look like it, provided it has those whiskers. Its hard to tell in the pic, but I think it does.

[mikev]

All right. The working assumption for now is
Crossostoma paucisquama
No picture, but the area matches.

Stigmata (#129) is close, but it has a white line on the side, not black.
Lacustre is wrong because of a slightly different head shape (and Taiwan too)

(And you were right all along by rejecting it being a Homaloptera).

[Jim Powers]

There also may be some other crossostomas out there we don't even know about.

[mikev]

Yes, most certainly. Also there is no reason to think that Frank's fish is the same species (his is a Beaufortia contaminant, mine were seen as Vanmanenia contaminants). OK, Crossostoma sp. will do for now.

BTW, if you wonder what the fish is sitting on: it is a bag of crashed corals. There is an air source under it, so the bag works as a trampoline, this is where it spends a lot of the time...bouncing. Beaufortias like the spot too..when allowed.

[mikev]

Frank,

http://www.ibsfu.fudan.edu.cn/Database/ ... /book3.htm
#84 Memacheilus schultzi (sic) is a possible match for the schistura?
(quality of the photo is bad, but notice that the intensity of the stripes is very low). #89 is also possible.

And check this for fun:

http://www.ibsfu.fudan.edu.cn/Database/ ... /book1.htm
Item #122. (the top view is very similar to vannies)

[Frank M. Greco]

Heard back from the Hong Kong supplier. Here's what he said:

"We offered this fish few years back called "Protomyzon sinensis". They
disappeared for a long time. Now trying to find out if they still exist."

[Frank M. Greco]

One comment on Frank's schisturas (I saw them personally a week ago): I cannot even guess on the ID, but my feeling was that the paleness had something to do with low-light conditions the fish may be accustomed to. of course I can be dead wrong on this, but this felt interesting.

Mike, the fish were under lighting all day today, and they are still pale. Not as pale as before, but not exactly well-marked, either.

[Frank M. Greco]

Thanks to everyone for pointing out all the possibilities. Looks like I have a lot of looking around to do.