New (possible loach) baby mystery!

[Mark in Vancouver]

I think we all agree that very fine scales are present on all loaches - it's just odd to see this distinguishing pattern of apparently large scales in a restricted area on these fry.

[The.Dark.One]

I think we all agree that very fine scales are present on all loaches - it's just odd to see this distinguishing pattern of apparently large scales in a restricted area on these fry.

Aaah! I see now!

[piggy4]

There are similarities ,with the S.Lineolata , and the mystery fry , that dark cluster of markings , between the rear of the dorsal ,and the caudal , very enlightening these pics ! the Botia guesses are not surprizing ,given the colour and barring ! i was even going to sujest that perhaps you might have unwittingly , transferred some eggs on your hands ? i think now though that S.Lineolata could be a safe bet ? with this sort of indepth study , LOL is really living up to and beyond its purpose , FANTASTIC ! i've always wondered about those old pics of Misgurnus Fossilis in B.walkers book Sharks and Loaches, the ones where they are mating ! you'd have thought considering the age of that book , and the cotent of those pics ,that we would know more , at this stage ? but it seems we are getting there ! great stuff .

[Emma Turner]

Update 30-12-2006.

I've been watching the little fry foraging about all over the substrate today. It's movements just seem so unlike Sewellia, it moves more like a Nemacheiline, but it can't be! Still no sign of it 'moving up' onto anything else yet either.

Here's a few pics:









Here's one that shows a similar sized Sewellia lineolata fry in the background. You can see that although the overall colouration is similar, the markings and development of the pectoral & ventral fins are clearly very different:


And finally - compare this side's markings....


With that side....


Amazing isn't it?

Emma

[Emma Turner]

Ok, I know these are not brilliant quality, but I managed to figure out how to capture short video clips on my digital camera today. I took some footage of the 'mystery' loach fry foraging about on the substrate. Apologies for the constant sounds of my camera re-focusing, I haven't found out how to stop the noise yet (or if it's even possible). So I'd advise viewing with the sound turned right down as it is quite annoying!

Enjoy:

http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k183/ ... CN7776.flv

http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k183/ ... CN7778.flv

Emma

[palaeodave]

Its very cute. Quite relaxed movement rather than the frantic, speedy movements quite often seen in a lot of loaches....though I confess I know nothing about hillstreams.

Was that really a video function on your camera or a rapid series of photographs? My camera (Olympus Mju 800) takes much better videos (higher frame rate anyway) but won't re-focus on an object once you've hit record, which is really annoying for filming fish as you can appreciate!

[Emma Turner]

Nikon call it a Movie Setting and 'videos' are recorded at 30 frames per second, with each frame being 640 × 480 pixels in size. It does seem to loose a lot of quality when I upload it to a hosting site though (in this case photobucket). Don't forget that this fish is still just over a centimetre so it is not going to be as clear as when shooting larger loaches. I didn't really buy this camera for taking videos anyway, but I thought in this case this footage would be useful to document the breeding of a new species of loach. Genuine accounts can be hard to come by!

Emma

[Martin Thoene]

Ooh! Moving pictures are worth a thousand....no a million words!

I don't see a Schistura in that movement. I honestly expect it's a late developing Sewellia spotty. With the 3 dimensionality (is that a word?) of film, I can see what looks like the start of the development of the wider coloured fin bases of a hillstream.

It's general mode of movement seems more Sewellia - like than anything. It is weird that it's not suckering onto stuff though.

We enter a new year still full of ????????'s

Martin.

[palaeodave]

Oh right, it must be to do with the upload/my connection possibly as what I was seeing was more like 1 frame per second! And I wasn't criticizing the actual filming of it, rather, I'm quite impressed that you got such good clips of something so small! Keep it up, these images are making this my favourite thread at the moment!

Edit: my comment about focus was meaning that I wish my camera would refocus the way yours does as when my target moves away I have to try and move with it....often straight into the glass!

[mikev]

Very nice movie!

The way it scavenging the ground for food (I think this is what it is doing) is very similar to what I see with Confuzonas and occasionally Cheni's....never saw other hillstreams doing this.

It feels strange that it seems to be totally uninterested in stones either.

[Emma Turner]

Thank you all. Glad you liked the footage. Will try for more in a few days if the little one obliges.

Emma

[Barracuda518]

Ive been watching this thread since it started and I must say its very exciting

[AlexisLeann]

Me too....can't wait for more posts to see what this little one turns out to be...and I'm totally new and you could tell me it's a Great White baby and I'd go....ohhhhhhhh yeah looks like it...lol
I really had no clue fish could be so excitting.

[Graeme Robson]

Superb!!

Keep up the great work Emma!

[Emma Turner]

Thank you. I'm glad you're all enjoying the development of this little loach as much as I am.

Emma