what is it and where did it come from?

[cid]

Long time lurker but first time poster. 

This 55G tank has been setup for a few years and it's home to guppies and a small school of clown loaches. But a few months back i saw something very small and very new swimmin around. I have live plants and assume it came with them probably as an egg.

I let it be and it has grown, now it's about 4 inches long and i can't identify it. have searched for hours and gotten nowhere. so i busted out the old digital camera and took some blurry pics (can't get the thing to take a good photo of my fish).

it seems to be a bottom dweller, always snuffing around the sand and using it's pointed nose to overturn the small stones in search for food. it moves almost like a goby...kind of hopping around... but i'm faily confident it's not one.

so lets see if someone can identify this cool little mystery

[KLKelly]

I have no idea but I'm having fun looking up various fish.
What about a darter of some sort?  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_darter

[beowulf]

Looks like a loach to me

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/acanthocobitis-botia

[cid]

you may be on to something kelly...very similar body but darker markings.

started checking on different species of darter and i found it...

Ladies and gentlemen i present the Log Perch

http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/fish/percinacap.html


oddly enough this seems to be a local fish..found from saskatchewan to quebec...i guess i'll never know how he came to live in my tank

[dan2x38]

How about something common:

http://www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/asian-loaches/chinese-algae-eater/100056.asp

[cid]

i've had CAE's before so i would have identified that...it's defenitely the log perch

dorsal fin of 15 rays - check
anal fin of 9 rays - double check
black spot at the base of the anal fin - triple check

[dan2x38]

It is nice to meet ya... now that your not lurking hope to see you post more.  What set-up/s do you have? Any more pics? Always nice to meet new fish folks & chat about them. We have monthly meeting come out and meet some of us. Great presentation this month again.

[Brine]

oddly enough this seems to be a local fish..found from saskatchewan to quebec...i guess i'll never know how he came to live in my tank

The link you posted says ranging from Saskatchewan to Quebec, south to Texas and Florida. It may have come in with something from Florida or there abouts. Lots of plant and fish farms down that way.

[cid]

hmm now how did i miss that...    thanks brine.

[KLKelly]

Pretty cool that you got a freshwater hitchhiker and that its done so well in your tank

[Kats]

It looks like the one I have and mine is some kind of botia....

here's a link I found with all sorts of pics...

Really cool that you had a hitchhiker!!!

http://www.jjphoto.dk/fish_archive/karp3.htm

[Montrealguy]

Cool hitchhiker! The double dorsal makes it a darter. Nice find.