Tell me about your shy, elusive, "haven't seen em in years" fish in your tank.

[clownbaby]

I feel like there are so many fish species that are so secretive and keep to themselves so much -- I drop in those shrimp pellets for my pygmy cories, but I only ever see them during water changes... sometimes, anyway. 

So, show me or tell me about the fish[es] in your aquariums who are often never seen. The ones you feed and just hope they're not dead, because even if you looked for them, you wouldn't ever find them. Whether it's common answers -- kuhli loaches, I hear -- or fish that are atypical and just have a reserved personality. Let me see them!!!!!

 

For me, it is definitely my pygmy cories. My otocinclus are also pretty shy, but in the early mornings I can catch them on the front glass, and I see them hiding in the plants now and again. 

[NOLANANO]

I just bought this Bluefin Notho Killi and it’s strikingly beautiful but has been fairly shy my hope is that he will get bolder with time. His girlfriend is out and about without issue but she is kind of drab looking.

Edited August 27 by NOLANANO

[clownbaby]

On 8/27/2024 at 11:33 AM, NOLANANO said:

I just bought this Bluefin Notho Killi and it’s strikingly beautiful but has been fairly shy my hope is that he will get bolder with time. His girlfriend is out and about without issue but she is kind of drab looking.

He is stunning! I haven't heard of these fish before. I quite like the female too (I love "drab" fishes that are grey/brown/kinda boring), but there is no doubt that the male is jaw-dropping. I will have to look into these fish a bit! I don't know too much about killifish, but they always intrigue me. I wish you the best of luck with your handsome boy -- hopefully he will start to show off a bit more! 

P.S. even out of focus, that wood piece in the back is amazing. The color is stunning, and the texture is perfect. Just wanted to say that looks awesome 🤩🤘

[NOLANANO]

I actually just rescaped my tank. I also didn’t know much about the Bluefin Notho killi fish either but I saw it in the store and did some research. When I went back, they had more so I bought a pair. There isn’t a ton of info online other than they are more of an annual species that live about a year. Which means you’ll be lucky to get 6-8 months in the tank.  

[Scaperoot]

 

I have 3 Pea Puffers (Hewey, Dewey, Lewey) in a 40 gallon community tank, and one of them only comes out when I feed them bloodworms. Every time I start to think he's passed away, he pops up to slurp some worms lol. 

 

[Mississippi fish guy]

Mine would be 

1. clown pleco 

2. striped ralphael catfish (currently named Larry but I’m not sure if there is a way to sex them)

3. longear sunfish

It is always hiding since the bluegill (which will be removed soon) bullies it whenever it sees it.

[clownbaby]

On 8/27/2024 at 2:40 PM, Mississippi fish guy said:

Mine would be 

1. clown pleco 

2. striped ralphael catfish (currently named Larry but I’m not sure if there is a way to sex them)

3. longear sunfish

It is always hiding since the bluegill (which will be removed soon) bullies it whenever it sees it.

Mmm!!! I LOVE plecs!!! Bristlenose Plecos are what got me into fishkeeping. I was going back and forth between clown plecos and otos, but decided on otos because I heard from many that pygmy cories and otos enjoy each other's company. Still, I would love to have a plec again in the future. 

My old BN pleco had two moods: shy or aggressive. I am pretty confident that the behavior only came from me giving them really improper care. Regardless, I didn't know clown plecos were shy at all. Good to know 🙂 

On 8/27/2024 at 12:31 PM, Scaperoot said:

 

I have 3 Pea Puffers (Hewey, Dewey, Lewey) in a 40 gallon community tank, and one of them only comes out when I feed them bloodworms. Every time I start to think he's passed away, he pops up to slurp some worms lol. 

 

Gawsh darn! Pea Puffers are horrible. Why? Because THEY ARE SO DARN CUTE every SINGLE time I see them I just want to go out and buy a big tank full of them!!!! Goodness, what cuties! I love the matching names as well. Love the one in the foreground with the yellow-er color: so pretty!

[Woowala]

This thread gives me hope that my hitchhiker pygmy cory fry are still alive somewhere. 

[lefty o]

i dont currently have any, but have had clown pleco's vanish for more than a year in my 120. about the time i used to figure hmmm it must have died, poof there it comes.

[Guppysnail]

That would be my epiplaty dageti….sort of.  I occasionally see an eyeball or nose poking out of plants or spawning mops.  Even at feeding time I never see a whole fish. 
Im still trying to get full body photos after a few months to turn in for my BAP article. Im starting to resign myself to having to wait for the babies to grow up to get photos.  
I know both pairs are there because they each have their own spawning mop that is forever covered in to many eggs.  
They were stunning in the bag. I would not call them shy. I think they are just always hiding in the plants and mops laying eggs non stop. 
here is an internet photo. They really are beautiful I just wish they did their courting in the open so I could see it 🤪

 

of course just to make a liar of me before lights came on so not full color 

[JE47]

On 8/27/2024 at 12:31 PM, Scaperoot said:

Hewey, Dewey, Lewey)

Love the names especially, though I wonder if they are as troublesome as Donald Duck's nephews. I would agree my tail spot pygmy corydora hide most of the time except for two whom I assume are females. They love to swim as a pair and explore the tank they are really cute.

Edited August 28 by JE47

[TheBlueBeetle]

I'm super impressed some of you are able to get pics! I have a clown pleco that has been spotted less than bigfoot over the last 3 years. The only time I see him is when I conduct a military style sweep of the tank with a flashlight, and even then, its 5 minutes of squinting to make sure its not the top of a hillstream loach's head.

[Guppysnail]

On 8/27/2024 at 6:14 PM, Woowala said:

This thread gives me hope that my hitchhiker pygmy cory fry are still alive somewhere. 

Pygmy fry are very robust. I’ve had full grown pygmy show up in tanks I moved plants I did not know contained eggs to months prior. I even had some in my fatso laetacara dorsigera tank. 

[Beach Cruiser]

2 mystery Otos. 

They miraculously survived the extended Algaepocalypse & only surfaced during a full tank tear down. 

Now it's like they owe me money. 😕

Edited August 28 by Beach Cruiser

[Herefishie]

Without a doubt it's my Snowball Pleco. He literally hides in a cave all day long. It's a shame because he is cute. I presume he comes out at night to eat but since I'm asleep, I never see him. I would never get another one for that very reason.

[clownbaby]

On 8/28/2024 at 5:45 AM, Guppysnail said:

Pygmy fry are very robust. I’ve had full grown pygmy show up in tanks I moved plants I did not know contained eggs to months prior. I even had some in my fatso laetacara dorsigera tank. 

That's good to hear! I hope to maybe try inducing breeding on my pygmy cories. My only doubt is my black neons are convinced they're starving to death (they are certainly not) and will eat literally everything. At first I thought they were munching on my ludwigia -- turns out they occasionally eat my bladder snail's eggs. So I highly doubt that even if they did breed that the eggs would survive haha

On 8/28/2024 at 7:33 AM, Herefishie said:

Without a doubt it's my Snowball Pleco. He literally hides in a cave all day long. It's a shame because he is cute. I presume he comes out at night to eat but since I'm asleep, I never see him. I would never get another one for that very reason.

How DARE you make me fall in love with yet another pleco species!!!!!! I hadn't ever seen a Snowball Pleco and omg they are so freakin pretty!

[Woowala]

On 8/28/2024 at 8:45 AM, Guppysnail said:

Pygmy fry are very robust. I’ve had full grown pygmy show up in tanks I moved plants I did not know contained eggs to months prior. I even had some in my fatso laetacara dorsigera tank. 

It would be nice. I've never been much into catfish but the fry are cute as hell.