Neoplecostomus

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 06 Feb 2003, 01:28

Hi!

Anyone with a bit of information about this genus. Regarding keeping feeding behavior and breeding!
Any good article about them, webpage, book??
Cheers
Yann

Post by **Silurus** » 06 Feb 2003, 02:02

My only contact with Neoplecostomus was during a field trip with Mario de Pinna around the São Paulo area, where we caught an unknown species of Neoplecostomus (maybe N. paranensis or N. ribeirensis ?)
The habitat was a very fast flowing, forested stream with large rocks as the substrate, so I would think that these guys need plenty of oxygenation.

Achim · Post by **Achim** » 06 Feb 2003, 09:24

Hi Yann,

Langeani in

Langeani, F. 1990
Revisao do genero Neoplecostomus Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1888, com a descricao de quatro novas especies do sudeste Brasileiro (Ostariophysi, Siluriformes, Loricariidae)
Comun. Mus Cienc. Tecnol. PUCRS, Ser. Zool. Porto Alegre 3(1): 3-31

gives a short description of the habitat of Neoplecostomus.

As éspecies de Neoplecostomus, de maneira geral, estado restritas a richos de encosta com profundidade inferior a 1m, água clara, correntosa e fundo de pedra e areia grossa,; é comum, também, a presesenca de uma mata ciliar densa e ausencia de vegetacao macrófita, ou marginal debrucada sobre o leito.
Caramaschi (1986:242-243) apresenta alguns dados sobre os ambientes em que ocorreram exemplares de Neoplecostomus paranensis, na regiao das "Cuestas Basálticas" em Botucatú: a largura dos rios variou de 3 a 7m, a profundidade de 0,2 a 0,8m; a velocidade da água de 0,3 a 0,7m/s; a vazao de 0,62 a 1,82m³/s; a temperatura de 10 a 25 graus centrigrados; o oxigenio dissolvido de 94 a 118% de saturacao; o material em suspensao entre menos de 1,0 até 50 mg/l, com predominancia entre 1,0 e 25mb/l.

unfortunatly i neither speak portugese nor spanish

. Which reminds me once again that scientific papers should always be in english (with summaries in other languages)... In that case its not that serious imo, because its in the language of the country the fish originates from, but f.e. the lates descriptions of Corydoras in german Magazines (in German of course...) are imo inconsiderate, because a south american student for example hardly speaks german and can't even read the description of an endemic species...
But back to Neoplecostomus:
According to Isbrücker 1992 there are no outward visible differences between males and femals. Which makes it in his opinion phylogenetically interesting.
In aquarium atlas Volume5 N. microps is presented with a picture by Evers.
To give a little summary:
In the Aquarium night active, during day in the strongest current. Frequently water changes and low temperatures (20°-25°) important for successful keeping.Breeding not reported yet. Feeds on vegetables (f.e. squashed peas) but also accepts tabs.

Achim

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 06 Feb 2003, 09:48

Achim, I find japanese, german, english and spanish to all be common languages in the hobby. I do find it frustrating though, I can agree. I've got books on fish in german and english that should probably be in a few different languages. what is an italian fishkeeper to do to keep up with the latest developments? I luckily speak english, which most of the good information is translated into. Even my aqualog newsletters have english in them, although there are a few sites that made me wish I spoke german, more than enough spanish to curse at someone, or more than enough japanese than to order octopus sushi. ;) a good link to such a discussion is in the speak easy...

As to neoplecostomus, I wasn't even aware of that genus till now, so I can't even begin to pretend to have an idea what the tempermant, keeping, or any other aspects of the fish are. Sorry.

Achim · Post by **Achim** » 06 Feb 2003, 10:04

Hi Scott,

Yep. In the case of aquaristic puplication it is frustrating sometimes not to be able to read it and it is desirable to translate it in other languages (mostly english, though most of the people in the community speak (or at least understand) it i think), but in the case of scientific papers (descriptions, revisions etc.) its imo a necessity to write them in english. I am always kinda sad when i come across a recent description thats in german, french, spanish whatever and only has a short english summary which says no more than that a new species from *** was described. English is the scientific language and in terms of tolerance and international collaboration this should be accepted.
But lets leave this thread to Neoplecostomus now

Achim

Post by **Silurus** » 06 Feb 2003, 14:34

Yann,

I checked the field notes for the two localities that Neoplecostomus were collected ifor our museum collections.
The first locality was a fast-flowing, turbid stream with rocky bottom and grassy banks. The stream was about 1.5 m deep, but the fish were caught in the first 50 cm or so of the water.
Neoplecostomus was the only fish caught there.
The second locality was a fast-flowing stream with rocks, sand and gravel as the substrate. The stream was only 50 cm deep and the water was fairly transparent with slight turbidity. There were grasses and sedges on the shore and the fish caught in this locality were: Neoplecostomus, Harttia, Hemipsilichthys, a trichomycterid and Astyanax.

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 06 Feb 2003, 16:22

Well!

The little text that Achim wrote said: that the Neoplecostomus species are usally find in rather rich restricted area at a depth less of 1meter, the water is clear, with a strong current with rocks and sand bottom. Absence of macrofite vegetation or present here and there in the main river bed!
Caramaschi present several datas of the biotop where Neoplecostomus paranensis lives in the region of "Cuestas Basálticas" in Botucatú:
Width of the river goes from 3 to 7 meter.
Depth between 0.2 to 0.8 meter.
water speed: 0.3 to 0.7 meter per second
volume of moving water: 0.62 to 1.82 m3 per second
Temperature between 10 to 25 °c
Dissolved oxygen saturation: 94-118%
material floating inside the water: from 1.0 to 50 mg/l with value usually find from 1.0 to 25mg/l

Am I correct to believe that the material floating inside the water would be the total hardness?? Or are we talking about all organic and rocky stuff carried away by the water flow???

Cheers
Yann

Post by **Rusty** » 06 Feb 2003, 16:31

I'm guessing that refers to turbitity, not hardness.

Rusty

Mika · Post by **Mika** » 22 Mar 2003, 17:33

i noticed these had arrived in german
Neoplecostomus sp."golden leopard"

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Mar 2003, 21:28

I don't think the fish in the picture are Neoplecostomus. The head shape is wrong (Neoplecostomus has a flatter, more evenly-curved head), the caudal peduncle is too slender, plus they look too large to be Neoplecostomus.