Loach Id ?

[Mad Duff]

Hi there I have only just found this forum and was wondering if any body could identify my new loaches. I have had a look at the pictures on this forum and I am hoping they are Botia Eos.







They are currently in a 25 gallon tank with 2 Botia Rostrata and 3 Botia Dario, they will all be moving into a 44 gallon tank in the next couple of weeks.

Mark

[Martin Thoene]

Hi Mad Duff and welcome to LOL.

Strictly speaking it's Yasuhikotakia eos. The Botia genus has been shaken up and re-classified and as yet the LOL species Index does not reflect this.

This new genus includes caudipunctata, eos, lecontei, longidorsalis, modesta, morleti, nigrolineata, and sidthimunki.

Y. eos grows to around 4.5" (11cms) and is quite aggressive. They will eat the same foods as other "Botia" and also like some vegetable matter in their diet.

Martin.

[mamaschild]

Welcome, Mad Duff.

I just have to say, nice healthy looking specimens :)

[Mad Duff]

Cheers guys

I am glad they are Eos, I only really got them because the shop didnt know what they were and I got them for £2.50 each.

When you say aggressive, will they be ok left with the Rostrata and Dario which are about the same size or would they be better with 6 Clown Loaches that are a bit bigger.

Mark

[Martin Thoene]

No personal knowledge of this species. I believe that Mike Ophir has some, but he's not been here for a while. My LFS had in a bunch of 2" Y. caudipunctata last year, and put them in with some other Botias. They beat the snot out of everything in the tank including Syncrossus beauforti which are usually bad to the bone. Not sure about Y. eos .

I agree with mamaschild. You bought some beautiful condition fish there and that price was a steal!

Martin.

[Mad Duff]

Thanks Martin, I might leave them where they are for a few days and then move them into the tank with the Clowns.

I agree with mamaschild. You bought some beautiful condition fish there and that price was a steal!

Thats what I thought, I couldnt beleive the price when she told me .

[Graeme Robson]

Hi Mad Duff. Welcome.

I have my concerns with even adding them with Clowns i'm afraid. These loaches have no fear, even with larger fish species around them. Like Martin says, if a Syncrossus beauforti can get beaten up, then your Clown loaches will most probably be next.

How about just keeping them in your 25gal with a couple of fast swimming dither fish for upper level eye candy.

Where about's did you find these chaps? They are in superb condition. I'm just up the M18.


Graeme.

[fusQer]

i had some skunk loaches, they look just like these. they are mean as hell. i had to take them out of 2 different tanks, and even out of my african cichlid tank cuz they were creating too much drama. eventually they went into their own tank as the sole species in there, and then i traded them in for some plants.

[Mad Duff]

Hi Graeme, I have been keeping an eye on them and they really do seem placid at the moment. They are having a bit of a chase with each other but they dont seem at all bothered by the Rostrata or Darios at the moment. Only time will tell I suppose.

I found them in a local pet shop, they only had the 3 in. They normally dont have anything other than swords and platies etc.

Mark

[shari]

Possibly a botia lecontei?
http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/bo ... ontei.html

But it does seem more like an eos. My very first loach was a botia eos. VERY agressive. Went through several small tetras before I figured out he was the culprit. Completely cowed my modestas and yo yos that I added later. He RULED that tank, totally. He was alone, however.

found him in a tank of modestas, he was guarding the entire center open space of the 10g in the lfs, and all the other fish (some 23-30 of 'em) were cowering around the edges giving him LOTS of space. The husband decided he was a very cool fish, so home he came to my peaceful community tank...things were never the same after that

[Mark in Vancouver]

I keep five skunk loaches (Y. morleti) in a tank with some tetras. They constantly duke it out among themselves. Never add these fish to a tank with long-finned fish, or you'll see scarring on those fins in no time.

They're good with really tough dither fish like some of the barbs, but Y. eos are thought to be about as aggressive as loaches get. I personally would not mix them with any of the true Botia species, including the very gentle clowns, darios, striatas... Martin called it when he said they are fearless.

[Graeme Robson]

Martin called it when he said they are fearless.

I often wonder................

[Martin Thoene]

Martin called it when he said they are fearless.

I often wonder................

Never mind Graeme. He's doing a Barbara.

Martin.

[Mark in Vancouver]

Sorry Graeme... Don't we thank Martin for all the insights here?

My bad.

[Mad Duff]

Thank for all the info guys.

They are in their own tank this morning, lovely they are - peaceful they ain't.

They were starting to chase and harrass the Rostrata's and Dario's this morning and they were even chasing the Brochis that they were in with.

They havnt done any damage so Im not taking any chances, they are on their own. I may put a few large tiger barbs in there with them.

Once again thanks for the info .

Mark