# Name that fish: A fishy mystery



## Mint (May 2, 2011)

I was hoping that someone could help end the mystery of a favourite fish. 

*Background:* When my fiance and I started dating in high school we used to spend a lot of time in pet stores and different shops with pets and soon began to buy fish, hermit crabs, and other critters. (we still have two hermit crabs which are approaching 8 years old. They're huge now lol.) Early into purchasing different fish we "rescued" a fish that he fell in love with that was sitting alone and sad in a walmart tank. It lived for quite a while in its own tank until I left for a guard competition and my mom sadly forgot to feed him.

*The Mystery:* :fish9: Unfortunately the fish that we bought was unlabeled at the store and the man even sold it to us as a goldfish even though it looked nothing like one. As we are finally able to have more stable tanks with our new house I would like to solve the mystery and see if I could get one for him.

*Fish Description:* If necessary I will draw it and post my drawing. It has been a number of years so my memory is fuzzy but this is my best description. The fish was white and somewhat transparent. It had an elongated body somewhat like a peacock eel but with a shorter flatter face like a dwarf gourami. It also had one long wavy transparent fin on the top and bottom of its body similar to the lower part of a black ghost knifefish. I don't remember if it had any other fins other than that but I remember it looking like a transparent and very graceful eel. 

I would appreciate any links and suggestions as to what this fish may have been! 

Thanks in advance.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Could it have been an Albino Meyer's Loach? (I'm thinking because of the elongated body but not so pointy nose.....) Here's a link: Myers Loach, Myer's Slimy Loach, Giant Kuhli Loach, Pangio myersi, (previously Acanthophthalmus myersi), Pangio kuhli myersi The albino one is part way down the page.

Or an albino Red Eye Polypterus Senegalus? It has fins similar to the knife fish. Here's the link to the pic I found: Fishlink Worldwide :: Your Direct Links To Fishes 
Here's another pic, (it's not the top fish, but the second pic). http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/FWDailyPIX/FWDP%20Arch%2046-60/fwpotd46.htm

I've been googling different things, but so far that's all I can come up with. I'll post again if I find anything else.

Good luck.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Drawing the pic will help alot,lol.My mind is on bettas so when you say long flowey fins thats what I see,lol.Possibly a tetra or ropefish.Like I said a picture will help.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Could also be a glass catfish by the discription.


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## Mint (May 2, 2011)

> Or an albino Red Eye Polypterus Senegalus? It has fins similar to the knife fish. Here's the link to the pic I found: Fishlink Worldwide :: Your Direct Links To Fishes
> Here's another pic, (it's not the top fish, but the second pic). http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebi...0/fwpotd46.htm


The albino red eye is the closest I have found also. I have been googling fish trying to find it. The fish had no markings on it similar to that one but the fins on the top and bottom were its main way of swimming. I remember it used to sit in the center of the tank kind of hovering and wiggling its Ghost Knifefish-like fins. 

The red eye albino just doesn't have the full body fins and the one I remember didn't have those pronounced spikey-bone parts. 

Unfortunate I don't have a better knowledge of fish anatomy. It might make this easier. 

I appreciate the answers.  I will try to draw something tonight and post it.


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## Mint (May 2, 2011)

I managed to do a rough sketch of the fish. This is what my fiance and I remember. The tail may be a bit off but I think the rest is correct.

http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac248/Celeri/Phone%20Uploads/2011-05-08160821.jpg


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## dirtydutch4x (Jun 16, 2009)

maybe a silly guess but possibly could it be a Silver Arowana????
Fishlink Worldwide :: Your Direct Links To Fishes


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## Mint (May 2, 2011)

> maybe a silly guess but possibly could it be a Silver Arowana????
> Fishlink Worldwide :: Your Direct Links To Fishes


The color looks almost dead on, the fin color too but the face is wrong and the fins don't extend the whole length and aren't wavy like the black ghost knife fish. Really those fins are key...it's possible the fish's color was some kind of odd rarity.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

How big was the fish? (And was it a fresh water fish?)


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## Mint (May 2, 2011)

Well I went searching for more albino/transparent fish and realized I might be barking up the wrong tree. 

I changed the way I was thinking about the fish and searched different knifefish and fish with an elongated anal fin.

I think that I might be adding an elongated dorsal fin to a fish that didn't have one (in my head) and what I actually had was either one of these:

Glass Knifefish
or 
Brown Knifefish/African Knifefish

I'm leaning towards having had the glass knifefish because of its more transparent body but it has been a while, it's possible it was the other. 

Either way I appreciate everyone's answers and if anyone does see a fish with both an anal and dorsal fin like the knife fish, let me know!  Otherwise I think the knifefish is my answer.


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## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

Wow, those are both large fish! You must have had a big tank! Hope you found it. Let us know if it's not the right fish after all.


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## Mint (May 2, 2011)

Yes they are big fish! When we bought the fish it was only a few inches big. Since we had no information on it from the store at the time we didn't know it would get that big. I guess that's one reason why we both have come to hate large chain stores or supermarket pet areas and no longer shop there. It's just a death sentence for critters. 

The fortunate part is I would have been able to care for it and I can now too if I can manage to find one.


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