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Horsehead Loach

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English name: Acantopsis choirorhynchos. Common name: Green Algae Mouse. Origin and season: native to Xishuangbanna, China (the lower reaches of the Lancang River), Thailand and other places. Description: Body slender, slightly compressed. The highest part of the body is vertically above the origin of the pectoral fins, sloping sharply downward toward the front and relatively straight toward the rear; head long, compressed. Snout exceptionally long, slightly pointed at the front. Eyes superior, not visible from a ventral view, clearly located on the posterior half of the head. Mouth inferior; the edge of the upper lip has well-developed but sparse protrusions, with the lateral ends connected to the base of the mouth-corner barbels. The postlabial groove is very deep. Barbels 3 pairs: 2 pairs of rostral barbels and 1 pair of mouth-corner barbels. The outer margin of the dorsal fin is slightly convex; the left and right bases of the pectoral fins are pressed closely together; the pelvic fins are short and small, with the left and right bases pressed closely together; the anal fin is short; the caudal fin is deeply forked. The body is covered with fine scales, and the head is scaleless. The lateral line runs straight, with more than ten small black spots along it, and several large brown patches crossing the middle of the back are faintly visible. There are two black longitudinal stripes from the tip of the snout to the anterior margin of the eye; all fins are light brown and spotless. Body length can reach 180 mm.

English name: Acantopsis choirorhynchos

Common name: Green Algae Mouse

Origin and season:

Native to Xishuangbanna, China (the lower reaches of the Lancang River), Thailand and other places.

Description:

Body slender, slightly compressed. The highest part of the body is vertically above the origin of the pectoral fins, sloping sharply downward toward the front and relatively straight toward the rear; head long, compressed. Snout exceptionally long, slightly pointed at the front. Eyes superior, not visible from a ventral view, clearly located on the posterior half of the head. Mouth inferior; the edge of the upper lip has well-developed but sparse protrusions, with the lateral ends connected to the base of the mouth-corner barbels. The postlabial groove is very deep. Barbels 3 pairs: 2 pairs of rostral barbels and 1 pair of mouth-corner barbels. The outer margin of the dorsal fin is slightly convex; the left and right bases of the pectoral fins are pressed closely together; the pelvic fins are short and small, with the left and right bases pressed closely together; the anal fin is short; the caudal fin is deeply forked. The body is covered with fine scales, and the head is scaleless. The lateral line runs straight, with more than ten small black spots along it, and several large brown patches crossing the middle of the back are faintly visible. There are two black longitudinal stripes from the tip of the snout to the anterior margin of the eye; all fins are light brown and spotless. Body length can reach 180 mm.

It lives in slow-flowing spots on sandy-bottomed shallows along rivers, using its downward-slanting sucker-like mouth to cling to aquatic plants, rocks and other objects while moving slowly, and at the same time grazing on algae or leftover food to clean up waste in the aquarium. Easy to keep, suitable for any water quality. The optimal water temperature is 23-27°C.

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