Loaches Online Forum

My work gets me near the state line, mostly near Richmond, Indiana, so I may have to check Walmarts there sometime soon.
I am hoping that when we get "Hong Kong Plecos" as the Fish of the Month in April or May, there are some healthy vannies available.
Its odd, I've checked out probably a dozen Walmarts and found hillstreams in just two. The rest haven't had them as Fish of the Month yet. Go figure.

I was notified by my friend who runs the pet department at walmart, that those stores that have fish, do not all participate in the fish of the month. Those that do are great!!!! I got my botia striata as FOTM from walmart.

If they get more vannies, seeing as I bought them all, I'll let you know, but, as I live in NE Ohio you probably wont be able to come to get them. I'll have to ask when the next shipment of fish will come in.

It would be interesting to know when you get more.
I will be in NE Ohio this year, but not until August when I go to Cleveland.

tglassburner wrote:Martin, Did you do anything to condition yours for breeding?

No, just fed them along with their tank-mates. No special nurturing.

Martin.

Jim, when you're in Cleveland, look me up.

I'll be at the Ohio Cichlid Association August meeting which I believe is the first Friday of that month.

I'll try and make it. I'd love to meet you in person.

After adding all my vannie purchases together it totals 16.48 before taxes, devided by 11 means each one cost me 1.50 each plus tax

The Force is strong in this one Mad Duff

Good deal Tom.

Martin.

Yes, I think he has learned from the Master.

Ok, I went to another walmart, who shouldn't have a fish department, and found 2 more vannies, the only difference is the larger one has a "beard" for lack of a better term, does this occur as they age as this specimen was larger than the 11 I have. Very similar to the Avatar mikev has. Once again these were sold to me as a single CAE at 1.97 plus tax, and who am I to correct a highly qualified employee of such a large corporation.

Thanks Again

Tom

I think what you might have is a crossostoma of some type. That is a VERY good find. You might want to check with mikev on this. He has said they are a bit aggressive for hillstreams.

http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/Species ... N=91161488

Both look identical to the fish I posted pics of, the only thing is the largest one has what resembles a beard that the others are lacking.

Here is another Crossostoma pic.
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/species ... e=lacustre

Get some pics and let mikev see them to see what he thinks.

I went to Walmart today and still no hillstreams. However, they had a small acrilic Eclipse like tank for a very cheap price....and well, you guessed it...its set up in my kitchen now and cycling. I'll use it as extra quarentine if I see some cool hillstreams at Walmart.
I am a weak man....

Surely does sound like a Crossostoma.....

Yeap, they are aggressive, more than any other hillstream I've seen. Harass other hillstreams, and I'm pretty certain that one Cheni's demise is connected to Crossostoma's constant topping of it.

Mine (I have only one) was pretty bad for a few months but is no longer overly-aggressive: it is too fat to be....there may be a parallel to Emma's Balteata's behavior. Mine is now not much longer than a Vannie, but twice in the cross-section diameter... In some ways, Crossostoma is an improved model of Confuzona.

Very cool fish -- about the favorite here -- but with its feeding habits not to be kept around kids.... Now, I do keep it with Sewellia's..maybe I should not...

Darn, I want more.....

Here is a young Crossostoma that does look like a Vannie with a beard, compare with my avatar that shows an adult

Jim wrote:I am a weak man....

ROFLMAO

My newest 10g is 36 hrs into cycling with no progress....darn.

Well, I'm under the impression that I have 1 maybe 2 Crossostoma the smallest one I got today looks like your juvenile mikev you think it/they will do ok with my vannies? I'll get more pictures as soon as I can.

Tom