Re: Algae eaters and pH

To: "aquatic-plants at actwin_com" <aquatic-plants%actwin.com at f40_n480.z2.fidonet.org>
Subject: Re: Algae eaters and pH
From: Plants FIDO-Gate <Plants.FIDO-Gate at f78_n480.z2.fidonet.org>
Date: Thu, 19 Oct 95 22:03:40 +0100
Yoadie yo ho !!!

Based on a message from Liisa Sarakontu to All,
Let's talk about: Re: Algae eaters and pH

 >> All Loricariidae like their pH at about 6.8. Similar with
 >> the SAE-s and realted fish, I believe.

 LS> Ideal pH for SAEs and their relatives is about 7.0, but at least real
 LS> SAE can tolerate a very wide pH range, from 6.0 to 8.0 without any
 LS> problems.  Its relatives might be little more delicate, but slightly
 LS> over 7.0 is ok with all of them.

Ok, I didn't realy know this, but I could expect this from
the fact that they live in colder streams in rocky waters...

 LS>>> so I can't compare them from my own experiences.  I have three
 LS>>> "spotted bristlenoses", Ancistrus sp. cf. temminckii and I'm very
 LS>>> happy
 >> Does it have black body with small white dots like stars?

 LS> No.  Dark brown with yellowish brown spots, about 3 times bigger spots
 LS> than the "hoplogenys" type you are describing here.  These Finnish

Ah. We call them A. dolichopterus here... This is the most
popular algae-eater in Poland, although I was never sure of
its latin name, it might be A. temminicki or A.
dolichopterus, and I cannot find a difference anywhere :9
Does yours have, when it's young, white spots at the edges
of its first and last ray of the tail?

 LS> Ancistrus cats look much like A. temminckii or A. dolichopterus.  The
 LS> black with  white tiny spots is called "pearl bristlenose" here.

We call those Star-algae-eaters... However I had many books
with different names assigned to those - in the biggest and
best I believe atlas that I have it's called A.
dolichopterus, but in H. Frey's catfish book dolichopterus
is the one that you and I have... :(

 LS> There are at least 50 Ancistrus species, so there probably are slightly
 LS> different behaviour patterns in this group: some eat plants, some
 LS> don't. Some are more effecient with algae, and some are more
 LS> aggressive.  The genus is right now under a revision, so perhaps we'll
 LS> learn more about different bristlenose species after Swiss Sonia Muller
 LS> has been able to complete her work.

Oh! At last! I was hoping someone would at last start doing
something about this mess in the Ancistrus group... :)

 >> Agreed. Very effective, however, they cannot be kept with
 >> delicate, large-bodied fish.

 LS> Why?  Have your fish attacked their tankmates?  Mine has never done so,

Yes it has, it has even killed a catfish. It might depend on
the species, perhaps we have a different species afer all.
The pearl ones I heard are quite timid, but the regular
bristlenose is a small devil...

 LS> although there is one big pearl gourami in the same tank.  (Well, he
 LS> isn't actually a delicate fish, but a big, mean fighter.)

As all gourami males are, usually :)

           /
          ||/   -=< TONID >=-
     | /| |/   Tomasz Nidecki
     || |//    tonid at falcon_mimuw.edu.pl (FWD to FIDO)
     ||////    Tomasz.Nidecki at f78_n480.z2.fidonet.org
     /  /_
    |', ___
    |  /
     --

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Message originated at Tonid's Endemic Zone FIDO-Gate
From: Tomasz Nidecki <Tomasz.Nidecki at f78_n480.z2.fidonet.org>
To:   Liisa Sarakontu
Please use the above "From:" address for private mail!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------