Loaches Online Forum

Hello everyone,

I used to be a frequent poster here but, but no longer, no time! Anyway, I have been keeping a shoal of about 6 Y. splendida (not sure entirely of the number, keep forgetting how many I originally bought, but at least 6 are present for observation at any given time) for a few years now. Recently, one of the Y. splendida has become extremely fat. Its flanks have swollen and I am wondering if this means it is gravid with eggs? It keeps shimmying side by side with smaller, thinner Y. splendida specimens. Is it trying to mate? I have never seen this behavior before. Its an 80 gallon aquarium with Y. caudipunctata, B. udomritthiruji, B. dario, some P. denisonni and others.

Others who have spawned botiid fish before, let me know if this behavior sounds familiar.

Michael Ophir

Good to hear from you again, Mike.
While I have no experience with botiid spawning, this certainly would make me think that's what is going on.
Keep us posted.

Thanks Jim,

Hope all is well here.

Mike Ophir

Update:

The gravid female now appears significantly slimmer and the "shimmying" behavior I observed when I uploaded the first post a few days ago, has stopped. It is difficult to tell whether she has laid eggs or not as it is a large aquarium and any eggs that may have been laid have probably been eaten as the tank also houses 4 large B. udomritthiruji, 2 Y. caudipuncata, 3 B. dario and an A. sidthimunki....time will tell I suppose.

Mike Ophir