Hong Kong plec/Chinese Algae eater?

3_second_memory · Member Joined: 29 Apr 2004 Posts: 351 Location: England

ok, well in the uk, i have a fish like a ray, that stays small. I call it a hong kong plec, work call it a chinese algae eater, so i refered to it as a CAE here, and they said the CAE is a loach, but our CAE loaches are just called algae eaters, and these plec things are called chinese algae eaters, but other places call them hong kong plecs.

aparently they dont have the mouth for a plec, but id consider a CAE one of those loach things, coz we have them at work too.

any explanation?

Aqueous · Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 4:10 pm Post subject:

Hong Kong plecos are not catfish like other plecos, they're hillstream fish. They're also referred to a Borneo plecos. They generally get about 3".

Hong Kong Pleco:

CAE's are commonly sold as just "Algae eaters". When I bought my CAE a while back it was just an algae eater.

CAE:

grnlemonade · Super Senior Member Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 1027

i used to have a hongkong pleco.....years ago, i totally forgot about them until i saw that picture......i boguht it under the name "butterfly pleco"

t_chelle16 · Moderator Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 3437

I've heard them called hillstream loaches. Saw one at the LFS a while back. Pretty little fish but I don't have anywhere to put one. Sad

-Chelle

Blau_the_cow · Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:58 am Post subject:

I also saw them under the name of Butterfly Plecostomus. A new pet store just opened up in town and it ships in all kinds of plecostomus'. I absolutely adore plecos, and I wanted to get one of the butteryfly ones, as well as one of the Clown and Spotted ones, but plecos dont do well together, and I already have one to occupy both tanks Sad

. Oh well though. I can always go and look at them. Wink

grnlemonade · Super Senior Member Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 1027

i ahve only seen the plecos once though, and that was about 2 years ago.....havnt seen them since.

tski22 · Member Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 197

I saw them recently in an lfs and was going to purchase one but thoguht twice and decided tor esearch. Maybe I should get one for my 15 gallon.

t_chelle16 · Moderator Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 3437

From what little I've been able to find on them, they prefer slightly cooler water (around 72ish) and are fairly delicate.

-Chelle

Hai · Member Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 25

3_second_memory, Aqueous is accurate on the names and pictures. The rest are also correct on the names Butterfly Pleco / Hillstream Loach. It is also called Stingray Pleco. From its scientific name Gastromyzon borneensis you can see that it is from Borneo Island in South East Asia. From one of its names Hillstream Loach you can see that it needs strong current in aquarium.