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what kuhli is this?

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 5:40 pm
by worton
Hiya,

Photos are really poor but maybe you will be able to say what species this could be. I found it in a shipment of "normal" kuhlis. The second fish I also found in this shipment however I guess it's dojo loach.

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Regards.

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:05 pm
by Mark in Vancouver
That's no dojo - that's a horse-faced loach. I'll bet it'll burrow into the substrate right away if it's soft enough. You may not see it again for weeks.

And has the kuhli calmed down at all? That one looks like a very stressed out P. myersi to me. When they are stressed, they can turn amazing shades of greyish pink and they lose their distinctive gold/brown bands.

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 7:13 pm
by worton
Hey Mark,

yeah I also thought it could be a horsefaced loach but this fish doesn't have this "horse-shaped" face maybe it's too small for my inexperience eye :) (it's about 2cm long). It's in tank for few hours and still do not burry itself :).

Wow I didn't know kuhlis can change their colors so much! It look stressed - for a loach - so it actively swimms through whole tank but they are after first feeding - both fish eat pretty well TetraMin flakes and white worms :).

Regards.

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:30 pm
by Mark in Vancouver
Hi Worton. Some very tiny horsefaced loaches have been turning up in the shops around here. It may be a matter of them being immature, but that pattern down the side of the fish, coupled with the dorsal fin, make me think they're Acontopsis species of some kind. They are really cool fish, but usually quite shy.
Nice to see a poster from Poland! We have become very international here.

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:43 pm
by Martin Thoene
I have to disagree with Mark on both counts. The "other" loach looks like it could be Lepidocephalichthys guntea to me.....

http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/le ... untea.html

The kuhli, rather than having lost its stripes (although that's possible) looks like one of the fairly common weird coloured morphs of kuhlis that appear in shipments from time to time.

2 pictures by Ken Childs.............
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Image

Martin.

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:01 am
by worton
Well after a night kuhli disappeared :/ - I checked surroundigs of a tank since I got this few uncool experience with kuhlis in new tanks :( but I didn't find little bastard so I hope it is still in a tank :).

The second fish is totally cool - almost the coolest fish I ever saw! :) It's not shy at all, and it's doing something really interesting.
I got really fine sand as substrate and it take some to the mouth then spit it out through the gills :) - so I got few nice lookins marks on a bottom of the tank now - i'm going to eat breakfast and then I will post some better pictures of this horsefaced/Lepidocephalichthys loach - it's calm now :).

:) Mark im on LOL for some time :) - I don't post a lot but I read this forum regularly - new forum is very nice, however thank you very much for greetings :).

If kuhli is still alive it's a matter of time to see if it's a different color variation or just a stressed fish.


Regards.

Hey worton!

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:55 am
by shari
Horsefaced loaches are sand sifters--its how they eat :wink:

they suck sand into their little mouths, and sift it for tiny inhabitants, then spew it out their gills. Is your sand brand new, or is it a well established tank? Older would be better for your new baby.

Don't panic if he disappears for a while. You also may see a bump with just two eyes in the sand...they are cool fish 8)

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 4:58 am
by worton
Hey,

two a bit closer photos of horsefaced/Lepidocephalichthys loach:

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I don't know what part of fish you have to see to say what it is for sure ;)).

Hi

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:13 am
by shari
Here's a link to the species index regarding Horsefaced vs Horsehead loaches:

http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/ac ... nchus.html

But yours has different body markings entirely. I'd almost say more like a Moosefaced loach but that doesn't look quite right either...

http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/so ... ngota.html

See if you can get a better pic of the face and one that shows the fins and belly to better ID, if you would, including the tail to see if it's possibly this:

http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/ac ... botia.html

Is a cool little guy ;-) whatever he is.

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:40 am
by worton
Hey,

thanks Shari for links. In my eyes fish looks like this on third link you gave - especially this two photos by Ken Childs look very similar. I will try and take better photos however it will take some time for sure :) since I'm not good in taking pictures :).

Thanks for all your help.

Regards.

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 1:42 pm
by shari
That's the reason I wanted a shot including the tail. Would help with the ID immensely 8) seeing as the 'eye spot' is a defining characteristic of that species.

See if you can get a couple of shots of the whole fish, in the tank is fine, if he's available and will cooperate. They don't always, however :lol:

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:46 pm
by Martin Thoene
worton, this might be worth checking out?

http://natura2000.mos.gov.pl/natura2000 ... 9_Koza.pdf

Martin.

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:59 pm
by shari
Hope you can read that Worton, cause I can't 8)

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:03 pm
by Emma Turner
Hi Worton,

I think your fish looks quite similar to:

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(Imported from Germany as Lepidocephalichthys hasselti).

Emma

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:48 pm
by Mark in Vancouver
That may be a match, Emma. In the bag they sure looked like horsies, but this would explain their head shape.