I have a "mystery" fish....what could it be?

[Mmathis]

@fishin4cars

I noticed this fish in the QT a couple of weeks ago, tried unsuccessfully to catch it, then promptly forgot about it. Then, today I was doing some routine "pond" maintenance on the QT, and spotted it again.

These pictures are next to worthless -- sorry [was cleaning the tank, so....]! I'll try again to catch the fish, or at least get better pix of it another time, but was afraid if I didn't act on it now [this post] I would forget again. So please don't ask for better pix -- I know.

What caught my attention was the odd shape of the fish, well, and it's coloring. There is a pronounced concavity behind the head area. It seems longer than it should be for its size, and the fins don't seem right [for a goldfish or Rosy Red]. But also, right about where its head is, it has 2 very light spots. Otherwise, the fish is dark and I have no idea what its underside looks like. Honestly, the fish looks alien. Actually, the fish looks like a miniature shark [or a pleco]!

All that's in the QT are a few goldfish and a couple of Rosy Reds.


On these pix, I have 2 for each shot -- one where I outlined the fish and then the original.

 

[michey1st]

The shape in the 2nd set of pics reminds me of a Plecostomus. Fun Mystery!!!

 

[Mmathis]

The shape in the 2nd set of pics reminds me of a Plecostomus. Fun Mystery!!!

A pleco is all I could think of....but I don't have any idea how it would have gotten there!

 

[JBtheExplorer]

shark?

 

[bettasngoldfish]

I have no idea but very interested to find out.

Wonder how the heck it got there?

 

[Mmathis]

I might have to get more aggressive about trying to catch it.

 

[Dave 54]

Bull shark Pup ???

Dave

 

[michey1st]

Be cognizant of any ominous music that starts up when you get close.

 

[addy1]

new species! golred..................... (goldfish rosey red combo)

 

[Riftlake]

As usual, when photos of something strange like the Loch ness monster, Sasquatch, UFOs, etc., are taken the photos are grainy and blurry. What's up with that, anyway?

 

[Mmathis]

As usual, when photos of something strange like the Loch ness monster, Sasquatch, UFOs, etc., are taken the photos are grainy and blurry. What's up with that, anyway?

Either that, or the films disappear and no one knows what happened to them -- it's a requirement of the genre!

 

[Mmathis]

Barring storms here today, the plan is to do a water change (it's over due) on the QT. I'm hoping I can catch this little guy.

I really am curious! And if it is something like a pleco -- or anything not goldfish or Rosy Red -- how the heck did it get there!?!? Strange looking fish!

 

[Mmathis]

It turns out that my mystery fish is apparently a very old minnow. I caught it today -- yea! What do you think?

 

[bettasngoldfish]

So how do you know it's old? I think it looks a bit thin but don't know how to tell age.


Well it's definitely not a shark or a pleco Is it a fathead minnow? Did you ever put any of them in your quarantine tank?

 

[Mmathis]

@bettasngoldfish What makes me think it's old? It just looks old to me......good point, though.

When I built the pond in 2012, I added some Rosy Reds. They had babies and I think some of the offspring reverted to the natural state. I put all the RR's I had left in the QT to keep the biofilter seeded -- there were maybe 4 or 5. Now down to 2 minnows: this one and one RR [and a couple of fry that don't look like GF, but I can't really tell]. If these 2 are from the original purchase, that would make them at least 3 years old [but they could be offspring -- who knows].