ID this fish please? - Rosy loach

[properfool]

Hi wandered around Nature@Balestier today.

Saw these fish labelled as "Hair Algae killer" in the shop ??!!

The older uncle couldn't tell me what they are, only that they're new



anyone have any ideas on what it is ??
Not a baby SAE apparently...

[Panut]

Wow i think they are many hydras in this tank

I think it may be a CAE.

[properfool]

Hydra ??...thought it's some sort of algae although I'm not sure...they grow on the glass. Been a week since I cleaned the glass properly..the algae doesn't get any bigger than 1-2mm in length usually. Though hydra had tentacle like growths?

[Panut]

Hydra can sting or (Kill?) shrimps/baby shrimps
maybe fishes.

ask quixotic. he is the walking dictionary.

[properfool]

Hmm still think it's algae. Anyway, forgot to mention the fish is about 2cm long. Used by 180mm macro lens so everything looks larger.

[Panut]

2cm is pretty small!

(and cute)

[Quixotic]

Not a CAE. It is a loach, either a young Yunnanilus brevis, or a yet to be described species (incorrectly identified as "Tuberoschistura arakanensis"), known as Rosy loach in the trade.

Based on the size you mentioned, and the availability in the market at this point in time, it should be the Rosy loach. As the colour looks to be quite pale, your fish is a female. Male shows deep orangey-red coloration.

This fish comes from the same locality, i.e. Myanmar as the Celestial Pearl Danio (Galaxy Rasbora). They tend to do better in groups, growing up to a maximum of around 1 inch (TL).

Not all loaches are algae eaters. This loach is not known to eat algae. It is omnivorous and will take most food, flakes, pellets, small frozen and live food.

http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ighlight=loach

[EvolutionZ]

not known to eat algae and nature aquarium is putting up names that tells us that its a good algae eater

[Quixotic]

LFS may not know any better (note that uncle does not know what they are), and names could have been passed down from suppliers.

I guess that someone may just conveniently associate the fish with algae eating just because it is a loach, or because it is a bottom dwelling fish. The same with some others who assume that all plecos eat algae, or Corydoras are algae eaters.