Loaches Online Forum

These came in as contaminants with Sinibotia robusta a few months back.
Any clue on id??? I have mixed opinions but would like to have an idea before I go to a certain shop
Not social with one another-hardly even know when one another are about. Eat like pigs yet weight is hard to put on

Ideas anyone????

Smaller of the two at 2 inches



With a zipper-sharing tanks now until weight increases



Difficult to get a decent pic of this one, always on the move and still settling since being moved yesterday. About 4 inches











Ashleigh

i'd plumb for pulchra's ashleigh.
see what the others think.

mick

Are these the same Ashleigh





I think we did settle on Sinibotia pulchra for these but I may be wrong

Its interesting that you say they are not social because my 4 are always swimming together, they are like little kids always nudging and knocking each other.

Mine didn't seem to gain much weight at first but I found that they really like Mysis, Pacific krill and chopped mussel frozen foods. I got them at around 3" and they are now over 4"

Nice pics Ashleigh and Mark , i'd agree on the Pulcra label ! a fish with a decidedly Syncrossus like appearance ,BUT very amiable and placid in my experience .

Mad Duff wrote:Are these the same Ashleigh

I think we did settle on Sinibotia pulchra for these but I may be wrong

Its interesting that you say they are not social because my 4 are always swimming together, they are like little kids always nudging and knocking each other.

Mine didn't seem to gain much weight at first but I found that they really like Mysis, Pacific krill and chopped mussel frozen foods. I got them at around 3" and they are now over 4"

I honestly have no idea-the markings just between the two that I have are vary greatly and the face area looks slightly different between them aswell I *think* the larger of the two resembles yours some what to a certain degree-there is a lot of variation between fish for this species?

I have seen no interaction between these at all, in their tank nor the one they have just been moved to bar a nudge out of the way at feeding time. Maybe its the fact there is only two of them-then again do I buy more Sinibotia pulchra in the hope a larger group does them good or just hold off until I have an id Im sure on

At the moment they are getting fed three times a day on mixed frozens of shrimp, prawn, bloodworm etc so I hope to see some weight gain soon cause it sure isn't becasue they are not eating

Do you mind me asking what other species you house these with??

Thanks

Ashleigh

i have 2 that I got from JD. One is out more than the other (is more brownish). the other one is decidedly black with quite gold, but thinner lines and is a secretive dude. Both don't like to be seen and will disappear when i approach the tank. they don't hang out together, each has their own space and will defend it from all comers. They are both easily 4".

They're wolfish for food, but I think they will always be more of a streamlined fish rather than chubby.

ashleigh, it could be that you need a decent group to get the true behavior of this fish.

mick

From around the time they 1st arrived-larger one only Im afraid but it gives a cleared view of the overall fish



Shari-the darkened colour in the smaller one has only started to come about and he had little 'gold freckles' on the lower part of his cheek which appear to have/be fading now. Unfortunatly I do not have a pic of him like this

From what you have described yours to be some what more 'lone' seems to fit these two in terms of personality, a part from darting away when you approach the tank-these two feed from your hand happily.

Ashleigh

mickthefish wrote:ashleigh, it could be that you need a decent group to get the true behavior of this fish.

mick

I agree Mick-but what species to add?? S.pulchra or a fish that just resembles what these two look like and hope for the best I have been on the look out for more coming in with Sinibotia robusta but unfortunatly none have as of yet.


Ashleigh

Mine are with a gang of rostrata and would prefer to ignore them as well as the large clown and yoyo. Don't know if my two are showing typical behavior or not, but in JD's tank they also seemed to prefer to go solo.

Ashleigh wrote:
Do you mind me asking what other species you house these with??

Thanks

Ashleigh

Mine are in a 38 gallon at the moment with a large male bristlenose and 9 filament barbs, I am always worried that they dont get enough food because the barbs are total pigs.

I am toying with the idea whether to move these Sinibotia to the 250 gallon tank to go with the clowns, emperors and histies.

There is quite a bit of variation in markings from fish to fish, one of mine now has a gold coloured bar running full length of the top of the body

I am toying with the idea whether to move these Sinibotia to the 250 gallon tank to go with the clowns, emperors and histies

Why wouldn't ya ? They pay no attention to the Clowns and my almorhae get pushed around and kept in line by mine. Livens things up nicely imo. I have mine with kubs ,Clowns, striata and almorhae and no worrys. Never any damage but some magnificient hissy fits occasionally with my avatar stirring it up or sleeping it off, mostly the later .....your milage may vary if I may use the phrase.....

The Sinibotia do prefer slightly lower temps though, which is why when I used to keep S. pulchra, I had them in my river tank (which obviously has 'hillstream' temps) which they really enjoyed.

Ashleigh's first pic looks different to the S. pulchra I used to have - something about the shape of the head. Unless of course my fish weren't actually what I thought they were....

Emma

I thought you were discussing sinobotia robusto, not pulchra....
I have no experiance with pultra...looks like a syncrossus actually with the long snout.....sorry for the mis-understanding on my part

This brings back that old Sino/Lepto debate.
Either way, they both seem to like cooler temps and can be kept alone.