Mystery Loach... Updated Photos

[chris1932]

I hope the great minds that have helped ID some of my other mystery loaches in the past can come up lucky again. A few months ago I purchesed 7 Rosy loaches. I have had these in a 10 and then 20 gallon tanks. I did not put them in the main river tank because they were very small and I had concerns about them getting in the canister filter inlets. Over time two have grown twice the size of the Rosys. They have a fine vertical patern that is finer at the front of the fish than at the back. I am thinking something along the lines of Nemachilus, Noemacheilus, or Schistrua. They are very shy. Most of the time they are in the shadows in the back of the tank, unlike the Rosys that are free swimming and always on the move. The pictures arent the best but all I could seem to muster today.













I am keeping this tank a little warmer then the main river tank 77ish.

[mikev]

Compare this with Wendie's earlier post, she reports the same.

On my end, it appears that all gray loaches grow faster than rosies, and a couple of them are now about 1.5x larger. OTOH, I see very little growth among the rosies. To me this appears more like a very pronounced sexual dimorphism rather than a contaminant species: males have color but are smaller; perhaps some females reach larger size than others.

I also do not see the large grays being shier: I just saw one of them chasing the other.

What is the exact breakdown on your end: how many out of 7 are rosies and how many are grays? Are there any small grays at all?

---

However, the stripes of the loach behind on your 3rd photo do seem to be more pronounced than any I've seen before. Perhaps you could manage a photo of just that loach?

[chris1932]

MikeV The loach with the heavy bands is Noemacheilus Beavani.




Playing kissy face. Awwww

Out of seven two are larger. None of the greys has stayed small. There are three Beavani that live with the Rosys.

[mikev]

MikeV The loach with the heavy bands is Noemacheilus Beavani.

Yeap, this is it. Sorry for asking -- I thought you might have referred to it as the "Mystery Loach".

Out of seven two are larger. None of the greys has stayed small. There are three Beavani that live with the Rosys.

And the Rosy's grew only a little, if at all?

Then it seems to be identical pattern, and it smells like sexual dimorphism to me. Seemingly THE MOST pronounced among all loaches.

The other (and I think unlikely) alternative is that the rosies and the greys are actually different species, that share the environment. IMO, very unlikely, but not totally out of the question.

[Martin Thoene]

The most critical question is how does the actual behaviour compare?

I would want to see far clearer photos before I made any broad sweeping statements, let alone trying to ID them positively. From these pictures...the general appearance and stance of the fish leads me to believe that there's no way they could be the same species as Rosies, but I'm only seeing a long-distance static shot.

Martin.

[Graeme Robson]

It does remind me of a Nemacheilus...stroke....Yunnanilus. But all agreed that behavior is a key factor for starters.

[chris1932]

Behavior between the two species is very different. The Rosies will mid water swim and always are on the move foraging for edible bits. They are inquisitive and will come to examine an intruding hand just like Emmas photographs. These larger specimens are extremly shy. They only come out to feed and even then they will grab a bit and take it to a favorite spot behind something and then go back for more. They have a arched sitting posture almost like they are resting on their pectoral fin tips and caudial base. The barbles on these two are longer than the Rosies. I am trying to contact the outlet I purchased them from to see if there are any left form the shipment because he is still showing them on his stock list. When I picked them up I had caught my own fish and picked the two oddballs out thiniking that it could be the dismorphism between species. As these two have rocketed past the others in size I have grown to doubt more and more that they are indeed one in the same. I will try to get better pictures over the next few days. My last resort will be to catch them out and photograph in a specimen container. I appreciate everyones input, especially Martin and Graeme.

Thank You for looking

[Graeme Robson]

Behavior with your images/comments posted looks like a Yunnanilus sp of some sort. I think what we have here is a undescribed specimen. Of course this is my opinion from keeping Yunnanilus.

Nice looking Loaches 'i must say'

Yunnanilus sp


Or get more images here>> http://www.petfrd.com/forum/showthread. ... Yunnanilus

[Martin Thoene]

From the long distance shot the general impression is Yunnanilis, but I would still like to see a closeup. They're certainly very similar to Graeme's posted picture.

Martin.

[chris1932]

Evening feeding time is rolling around and I have a treat "live blackworms" Mabey I can bribe a good picture out of them. Otherwise I may do the container thing. Would it be helpful to have a scale handy so you can get an idea of the size? I am also going to read the camera book, I am through being stuborn.

[chris1932]

Ok I played with my camera for around an hour while reading the book and the following are the best I can muster for now. There is a picture alongside one or two of the Rosies.

[Graeme Robson]

Do these chaps ever hover at all? Even if it's 1 inch from the substrate? They do tend to have a Yunnanilis look to them.

[chris1932]

Graeme, to tell you the truth its hard to tell. They have ESPN and every time I get close to the tank they are gone in a flash. I have even stood on the other side of the room and watched the tank with a pair of binoculars and a scope. The Dahli ring and Rosie loaches could care less. These guys dont like being observed. It was worse when I had them in the 10 gallon tank. I like to keep a mass of loose peat fiber and Almond leaves in there. I thought they had died for awhile. In a last ditch effort I am going to try night vision.

[Graeme Robson]

lol yeah! Night vision with heat sensors?

[chris1932]

No heat sensor. It does have a poorish kind of IR. Its a cheapie.