what is this Chaetostoma???

[snowflake311]

I bought a sickly little L187b. I thought he was doing better but he passed away. he had a sunken belly and sunken eyes when i got him also always had clamped fins. Poor little guy did ok for a few days they dead he was too long gone when I got him I think.

So I was at the a pet store looking for plants for my Cory tank. Then I saw him. He was fat very healthy looking and did not look like any other Rubbernose that I have seen before. He is a Beauty. I don't know what he is exactly. If some could tell that would be great.

Here he is . I was thinking Chaetostoma cf. fischeri looked like him. He is a little stressed in this photos so his colour is lighter. But he still has those dark stripes.




The tank temp is at 73F I have my spray bar on the end of the tank to add good water movement. along with a small Power filter that is on the same end of the tank to add a water fall effect. I have bubble bars too. Lots of rocks and a BIG chunk of wood that my Albino BN has taken over at the moment. Substrate is Sand. I have some brown algae in the tank will this guy eat that? He tends to stay on the glass. I gave them Wafers last night and they are all gone not sure who eat them.

So what is he?
What other stuff should I feed him?

[Silurus]

Chaetostoma nudirostre

, I think.

[snowflake311]

I was thinking that too. But he does not have the spots on the rest of his body. I only see them on the head and fins. I'm wondering if this guy is even been classified.

[Shane]

HH is right that it bears a resemblance to C. nudirostre, but it almost certainly is not that species as it has a very restricted distribution in central Venezuela.

I'm wondering if this guy is even been classified.

There is a good chance it has not. Regardless, this fish will require conditions and care similar to other members of its genus.

-Shane

[snowflake311]

Thanks guys. he is in a 55 gal. I think my tank is set up well for him. Lots of rocks to hide out on Smooth and round and some flat but all he wants to do is suck on the glass. I have the tank set up with good water movement Like a slow stream. Temp 75F.

I'm worried he is not getting enough to eat. I put in wafers and shrimp pellets at night and they are gone in the morning but my greedy South American cichlids like to eat them too. My albino pleco is really mean to my new pleco. I use to have a medusa pleco and the BN lived fine with her. She was 3 times her size. I gave the Medusa back to the store. The BN had been living alone for a few months and now things the tank is all hers and I have never seen a pleco be such a jerk. I have a clown pleco and another BN in my other tank they get along Great.

What should I do? I think I might take the Rubbernose out keep him in a small 10 gal to make sure he is eating. I really do not want to lose this fish.