Please help identify my loaches

[khunter06]

I think I know what they are, but would like to know what some of you experts think.

They're only tiny, but I think thats because they're babies. Got them in the UK for £3 each.

(ignore the spongebob in the background, it's my girlfriends doing)

Pictures attached, thanks

[Bas Pels]

I saw Ancistrus sp cf cirrhosis, the common Ancistrus, which is not a loach at al, but a catfish.

This fish comes from south America - in fact it originates from around Paraguay, prefers water of 20-24 C, pH around 7, DH around 6, and it will only eat algae.

Your fish is too small to say whether it is a boy or a girl, if it is a boy, it will develop a mustache. This can start as early as @ 7 cm, or as late as @ 10 cm

[khunter06]

Oh wow, thanks for the reply!

What their maximum size?

Thanks

[khunter06]

Iv researched them, and they practically are what I wanted, in terms of how they need looking after, I just thought they were something like hillstream loaches, or borneo suckers.

Doesn't make me love them any less though!

*And they will eat vegetables, as well as algae / algae wafers.

[Bas Pels]

I never saw one over 13 cm. They are said to reach 15, however.

[Diana]

Bristlenose plecos are very good community fish. They will eat all sorts of vegetables, and do a great job cleaning off the stuck-on-flat sorts of algae.

Here is a very good site for catfish info. I have linked one of the Bristlenose Pleco pages. There are quite a few species.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/spe ... cies_id=49