I agree with racoll.
Next to the present of filaments, all the fins are too large for S.aureum.

best regards
Norman

Hi Larry,

apistomaster wrote: I don't have a clue what species katmandu shows in the right side fish in his photo. I haven't seen one of those before.

This is a Sturisomatichthys species.
The coloration is similar to a undescribed species of columbia.

best regards
Norman

Hi Shane, I had this same theory until I was able to see literally 1,000s of these fish right out of the wild.[...]I'll try to find some better pics that illustrate the pattern differences. Yes some more pictures to compare both types/species would be great. I'll look for some more pics, but they do...

Hi Shane, Thank you for this summary. It is right that Evers and Seidel called one species S. sp. "Columbia" in the first edition of the first catfish atlas. But in the second edition they call them S.aureum . When I look to the pictures you had postet I see in image 2 and 3 two specimen w...

Hi Larry,

apistomaster wrote: Hi Norman,
I am as sure I can be that I am working with S. aureum but that is never 100%. We know too little for me to be absolutely certain but it is near enough for practical purposes.

Can you tell me your concrete doubts?

best regards
Norman

Hi Larry, I have never been able to be certain which one I have. I know they were from Colombian exporters and believe them to likely be Sturisoma aureum. I thought we clarified it in a separate thread by you some month ago... ? You can be sure keeping S.aureum . I wonder about the Sturisoma panemen...

Hi Pete,

The coloration of the caudal fin of the specimen on your photo is similar to the description of RETZER & PAGE for F.mariaelenae.

best regards
Norman

Hi Jan,

The first days the have to force the fry feeding. A lot of food in a low growing tank with fresh water (high oxygene) will help a lot. Please feed them living artemia nauplies and crunched granules.
Then the fry will grow up easily.

best regards
Norman

Hi Pete,

Typically for F.mariaelenae is the short snout-mouth length compared with the head length and a males snout wich is totally covered with small breeding odontodes.
A photo of the caudal fin can also give a hint.

best regards
Norman

Hi James,

As I noticed the most Pseudohemiodon and also the near related Crossoloricaria species like to have a bit of current. Mostly they lie in the Sand with the head contrary to the current.
It is no problem to keep them together with other whiptails.

best regards
Norman

Hi Zohar,

Inbetween both citys you will find Brunswig.
In general my dealer is "das aquarium".

A important dealer in Hannover is "Aquatarium" (You have to call if you want to visit).

best regards
Norman

Hi Jon, The Planiloricariina-Types do not enclose the clutch with their lower lip, like Loricariichthys or Loricaria do. They hold it in an other way, they use the branches of the maxillarbarbels in addition to the lower lip. But they don't enclose the clutch. http://www.loricariinae.de/images/bahua...

Hi Jon, The most species in the subtribe Planiloricariina have not any sexual differences in the structure of the mouth. It is known that the males of several species of the genus Apistoloricaria have elongated maxillarbarbels. Apistoloricaria is near related to Planiloricaria . Eventually it is pos...

Hi Jon,

Can you please post a picture with a closer look to the genital papilla? Based on the shape of this the sex can easily found out.

best regards
Norman

Hi, Kenneth, they should be able to sexed just like any other lip brooder. The males should have a greatly elongated lower lip. I am sorry, but that is not right ! There are several species of lip brooders where males have a elongated lower lip, but the species of the subtribe Planiloricariina do no...

Hi Larry,

I would agree with Janne and say that your Sturisoma are S.aureum.
Next to the small fins you can have a look at the coloration of the headsides. Here you can see a golden backround what is conforming with the Etymology of the name S.aureum.

best regards
Norman

Hello,

It is LG2, "Otocinclus" "negros".
This species is similar to Hisonotus notatus but has a shorter snout length and fin coloration (also H.leucofrenatus has an other coloration of the caudal fin).

best regards
Norman

Hello, Mine tend to have a tendency to panic sometimes and freak out by shooting into the plants and getting stuck there. If you will set in some driftwood, where the individuals can hide, you will have not the problem that they are panic. In every tank with any Pseudohemiodon / Crossoloricaria or P...

Hello, If you will have a look on the description of the species S.panamense , you will see that especally the dorsal fin of this species is larger than the type of your fotos show. Also the coloration of S.panamense differs to yours. The shape and size of the dorsal fin, as well as the coloration i...

Hello Saraya,

There is no doubt that this is S.fetsivum.

best regards
Norman

Hi Jon, Now I know what you mean. According to ISBRÜCKER & NIJSSEN (1978) in "The neotropical mailed catfishes of the genera Lamontichthys [...] and Pterosturisoma [...]" P.microps is covered all over with very small odontodes which are inconspicuous. They do not mentioned that this is...

Hello Jon, Yes, the ventral plates are very hard and this species is a very overcautious feeder. So the take just a less of food. What I do not understand: the rostral odontodes are starting to come in It is not known that P.microps have odontodes. The males of the near related Lamontichthys and als...

Hi Saraya,

The photo shows a Sturisoma festivum and nothing else. ;)

best regards
Norman

Hallo Saraya, Mostly I use Artemia Nauplies - IMO the best food for carnivore whiptail frys. For herbivor whiptails like your Sturisoma frys, algae powder (or tabs) will bring the best results. You can use the popular Spirulina or the better Chlorella. Larry wrote correctly, the first few days are r...

Hi Jeff,

Rineloricaria lanceolata is common in several rivers in south america. So the habitat is always an other. There are types from blackwater and also types from white and clearwater. With soft water and temperatures about 24-26°C you cannot go wrong.

best regards
Norman

Hi Tjudy,

So... am I to take from this converstation that my fish are either aurem or panamense?

No, the details of the firstdescribtion speak against it !

regards
Norman

Hi Sid,

In the last time more and more real S.aureum were importet.
Just some years ago you could not found any individuals of this species, but the situation changed.

regards
Norman

Hi, Okay, if you want to have some input you will get it. ;) S.panamense is a very rarely keeped species. Just a less of all the pictures wich shows allegedly S.panamense , show really individuals of this species. This species has a very long and straight doral fin. Against this, the dorsal fin of S...

Hi,

It is Sturisoma festivum.
All other discribed Sturisoma-species have other features.

regards
Norman

Hi Martin,

All species of the genus Paraloricaria reach a strength size. The smallest species becomes up to 25cm, the largest up to 40cm.
All of them need high oxigenic water.
Both points do not promote the popularity. So the species of this genus are not appeared in tanks.

regards
Norman