Acantopsis octoactinotos

Summary

Scientific name: Acantopsis octoactinotos (Siebert, 1991)

Common name: Long-nosed Loach

Synonyms: None

Distribution: Indonesia

Sexual Dimorphism: Females are generally larger with a larger abdominal area.

Maximum size: 4.5 Inches (11.5cm)

Similar to: Acantopsis thiemmedhi, Acantopsis arenae, Acantopsis choirorhynchus

Care: This loach is relatively hardy as long as water quality is highly well maintaned by good filtration. Provide a soft, sandy substrate and plenty of decorations such as rocks and driftwood as this fish often rests on top of decor, or underneath.

Feeding: Most foods accepted. Commercial sinking formulations and bottom-dwelling live-foods. Frozen foods such as Bloodworm's/Brine shrimp. These loaches often filter sand through their gills to extract particles of food.

Water parameters: Ph: 6-7 (6.5) Hardness: Max dh: 1-12

Temperature: 75-81°F (24-27°C)

Breeding: Not known in aquarium.

Notes

Acantopsis octoactinotos is a long slender fish with an elongated snout. This fish looks similar to the Horsefaced loach (A. choirorhynchus), but is slower growing. It can be distinguished from that species in a number of ways. The snout of the Long-nose loach does not slope downward, as it does in the Horsefaced loach. Also, this loach does not bury itself in the substrate as frequently, nor completely cover itself, and prefers to hide under large rocks or sit on top of them. It is more aggressive than (A. choirorhynchus), and for this reason it is best kept with larger compatible species that will be able to handle such behavior.

A. octoactinotos will kill small schooling fish if hungry (especially Neon Tetras and Zebra Danios).

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