Pseudolithoxus dumus L244 Habitat info?

[Torb]

Hi guys,

I'm adding two more adult

Pseudolithoxus dumus

L244 to collection, and I'm now in the process of setting up a new tank for the group.
Is there anybody who could help me with some info on there habitat? I've been searching the net for some time now, but the only thing I've got so far is the distribution list and some map coordinates.

[Edit: add CLOG+species name for easier linking (mostly because I'm lazy and don't want look up L244) --Mats]

[MatsP]

I will try to find out, if there is no answer in a couple of hours, but it will be later on today (and I don't guarantee any reply within the next few days).

--
Mats

[Torb]

Thanks Mats,

Anything would help, I have a few pointers to go by but the project wouldnt be done overnigth anyway:)

Looking forward to you findings.

[Suckermouth]

These fish originate from the Upper Rio Orinoco, and their habitat is likely the same as the other loricariids from the area such as

Hemiancistrus subviridis

,

Baryancistrus demantoides

,

Baryancistrus beggini

, the four recently-described

Hypancistrus

, and

Pseudancistrus pectegenitor

(a more extensive list exists in Nathan Lujan's 2009 paper describing B. beggini). If you look at some of the papers that describe these fish from this reigion, it is clear that the area is comprised of lots of rocks, even quite large ones, with fairly fast-moving water. There is also sand or mud on the bottom, I believe, but the fish spend most of their time in rocks; many loricariids (as well as auchenipterids) are easily captured by "hogging", which is basically sticking your hand in a rock and pulling the fish out. Haavard Stoere's H. subviridis tank closely approximates these conditions.

[Torb]

My starting consept was something like Haavard's subviridis tank, and I'm probably going to stick with with it. Based on there bodyshape I suspected them thrive in even faster moving water than some of the other speicies that come from the some area. But I might just be that they are caugth in the midel of the river instead of towards the banks? Correct me if I'm wrong:)

[MatsP]

Well, I sent an e-mail out, which got redirected to someone that has collected these in the wild for scientific collections. Unfortunately, I haven't had any reply - I suspect because the someone is quite busy right now - I have some other contacts with this person, and those e-mails have also not been replied to, and they are mails that the person requested from me.

--
Mats

[MatsP]

Nathan Lujan eventually got back with this:

We have collected P. dumus in big river habitats from either interstitial spaces between boulders or from within more-or-less linear cracks in bedrock and large boulders. They live in flowing water, and I think most ancistrins prefer a fair amount of current, but I haven't noticed any particular fondness for particularly high current environments by P. dumus.

So cracks or gaps between large stones would be a reasonable resemblance of the natural habitat.

--
Mats

[Suckermouth]

This is what I figured. The flat body probably isn't for increased flow, but to get into even thinner cracks than other loricariids.

[Torb]

Thanks to the both of you, I'll get started and see if I can make this look good. All info I can get on these littel suckers is helpful, cause there's not much to find on the net for now.

Cheers

[Suckermouth]

Let me know how it goes, I've been curious why Pseudolithoxus aren't kept as often despite the availability of P. anthrax. I have heard there can be aggression with P. anthrax, and I figure this might be a problem that might also have to be watched out for with P. dumus.