Loaches Online Forum

Thanks much Thomas! I'm glad to hear that they stay small, now I can keep all 5. If you were near I'd donate one to keep yours company. They do seem to enjoy each other, so far. I really like your Nemacheilus ornatus!

Thanks all! I couldn't find S. Sikmaensis to compare. Mine have the very distinct shimmering silve/white underside like the Savona, unlike the pic of notostigma. They do though have a very distinct black vertical mark at the tail like the notostigma. Thomas, how big did yours get? These are young, o...

I picked up 5 of these at a local aquarium society auction yesterday. They were labeled Bicolor Botia and nobody, including the person that brought them knew what they were or wanted anything to do with them. I've spent some time perusing the species list and they look like Schistura savona to me. A...

Thanks much for hour replies folks! I'll see what I can make of it? Will have to get a move on, while attending the local aquarium club auction today I became the owner of what I think are 5 small shistura savona. They were labeled as "bicolor botia" but noone knew what they were and there was littl...

I've been eyeing the hillstreams at my LFS for the past several weeks, Sewellia, gastromyzon I think, and another that I haven't identified yet. I'm dying to set up a river tank but I'm short on space so I'm thinking about using a 20gal long. I've been studying Martin's manifold design and wondering...

I stop in to check out the tanks at Walmart on occasion, I guess out of morbid curiosity. I was in the area today so I had a look and much to my surprise(and horror!) there was a tank full of skunk Botia! Maybe 20? Must have just come in as no price yet. I won't describe the conditions of the tank b...

Thanks piggy, I hadn't seen that one. And thanks Emma for complementing my fish. I have three that all came from PETSMART as I don't have many options locally. This one seems to be outgrowing the the others and has that slightly different look so I began to wonder?? They're probably all Kubs but I'l...

Hi Emma, yes I found both pics on this site in the picture galleries. I hope you don't mind my reposting them. I wanted to illustrate my confusion
Thanks for your responses. I guess I'll just have to spend countless hours observing the different species to fine tune my eye!

That was quick! Thanks Mick!!
I just found this pic of a Histronica that also looks alike to me. Is it just an ability that you attain after looking at them for a longtime, or are there defining characteristics that I'm missing?

Hi folks, First of all thanks for all the great info and help that you make available on this site! I've been lurking for a while but haven't posted much as I'm just soaking it all up. You're probably weary of these Qs but one of my"Kubotai" has me wondering? I was perusing the site last night when ...

I've had 2 striata and 3 Kubotai in with 9 neons now for several months in my 29gal with no problems at all. I do have plants and it's over-filtered with an AC 70. They actually seem to like each other! I'm a newbie and I got them all before I found this site. I realize now that I need a bigger tank...

Incredible Macro Les! What is that lens?

Melina have you looked at the species index on this site? There are some good pics there of different botias in different stages of development. I'm a newbie too and I find it very difficult to see distinct differences. Especially between histrionica and kubotai.

Great stuff! Any feel for how the wild stocks are holding up?

Hi folks, I've been lurking for a while and have learned a lot here already. I've just returned from 3 years in Thailand and Cambodia and ironically didn't discover loaches until I returned to the U.S. Now I fear I'm addicted. Unfortunately I live in a small apt. and only have room for a few smaller...