Loaches Online Forum

I've noticed that the markings on pseudogastros (Myersi, accordingly to the shipping list) differ in several ways.

Does anyone happen to know which of the following are normal individual variations or would indicate another species (is there another species anyway)?

The reason for asking is that I'd prefer to have fish with different markings so that I know who is who, but would rather avoid getting another unhappy single hillstream of yet another species (esp. that these guys seem to be quite social.)

Most of the pseudogastros are gray, without a pattern, with a red rim on the dorsal. BUT:

* Some seem to lack the red rim.
* Some have lighter lines across the body (similar to, but expressed much weaker than in the Pseudogastromyzon fasciatus pictures).
* Some have a dark line along the body.
* Some have a "cell" pattern, with white lines separating gray "cells" (cells are 1-2mm).

The LOL Cheni page,
http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/ps ... cheni.html

shows some of the variations too.

Are any of these significant?

OK, I think I can answer this one myself (after staring for an hour at a larger number of pseudo's): all four variations are possible within the species.

There is a great deal of variation in cheni/myersi. Most of the ones I have seen have red on the dorsal, but lately I have seen some that had little or no red. Martin(where the heck is he anyway?) has mentioned the same thing. In some literature you will see the lack of red being considered as a sexual characteristic.

Very interesting, TY.

I really doubt it is sex-related in any way: I counted five out of thirty without red. But all five were slightly smaller, so it *may* be age-related. Anyway, all four characteristics I've listed seemed to appear in random combinations, so I doubt there was more than one species there... except for the one apparent protomyzon.