Tag Archives: Acantopsis

Acantopsis dialuzona

9. March 2022

In the last years we received horseface loaches (Acantopsis) mainly from Thailand, where the genus is represented by several species, which are difficult to distinguish. Now we have once again received specimens from Indonesia. It is A. dialuzona, the best known species of the genus by name. In older aquarium books this species can be found under the synonym A. choirorhynchos.

The pretty and peaceful animals should be kept on sandy bottom. When disturbed and for sleeping, they like to burrow completely. Horseface Loaches grow quite large (by ornamental fish standards), 15 cm should be expected over the years. The largest horsehead loach ever measured was 22 cm long. The aquarium should therefore not be chosen too small. Young animals prefer to live in groups, later these fish become rather loners.

For our customers: the fish have code 360993 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Acantopsis rungthipae

29. November 2017

You don´t know that name? We didn´t either, until some days ago a taxonomical revision of the horseface loaches of the genus Acantopsis was published. All loaches of the genus used to be named Acantopsis dialuzona in the trade (sometimes the synonym A. choirorhynchos was also used). Currently seven different species are considered to be valid. The different species can be recognized not only by anatomical structures, but also by the colour pattern. Although it will stay very difficult in some cases to determine a single specimen, it is more than likely that the common species in the trade is A. rungthipae. The species A. dialuzona (= A. choiorhynchos) ist still valid; it occurs in Indonesia, Malaysia, and southern Thailand, but is only rarely seen in the trade.

For our customers: we currently received very nice, young A. rungthipae from Thailand; they have code 361103 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer