Confirm Identity - Odd Pattern Kuhli

[Trillianne]

Hello I've been looking at the various loaches online loach images and I'm a bit stumped on this one.
It was sold to me as a kuhli loach and that may very well be what he is, but unlike my other kuhli loaches this one has what I can only describe as a "giraffe" colorization.

Image is a bit fuzzy but the pattern is still quite detectable:


I have owned him for over 10 months and he does seem quite happy, and to have retained this coloration as he's gotten bigger. But he has not. (My other kuhlis are patterned and look like the traditional pangio kuhli pictures I've seen) I was told by the fish shop that young kuhlis will mature to all look similar with the traditional coloration and so didn't think terribly much of it, but the fact he's not changed to the more traditional pattern did have me wondering if indeed he was a kuhli or another type of pangio.

[Martin Thoene]

Quite possibly Pangio alternans.

Look at this thread: http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php ... &view=next

It took some searching, but I found this, the bible of Pangio

http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/41/41rbz203-249.pdf

Martin.

[Trillianne]

Thank you for the links. I am thinking you might be correct based on some of those photos. A fair chunk of my quandary came from how defined the lower spots seemed to be on my loach. I suspect your identification is correct. I shall need to keep an eye out for some potential school mates to match him up with.

[starsplitter7]

I had a group of these loaches and called them zigzags. I found them reguarly, so hopefully, you'll be able to find friends for your guy. Mine were happy hnging out with any other pangios.

[Diana]

I have often seen mixed species of Kuhlies in one shipment.

[Canyoncarver]

Congratulations, that is a nice one! I sure haven't seen one before but I sure want one.

[NancyD]

My first thought was alternans too, pretty whatever!