Loaches Online Forum

Most of my clown loaches have the typical 3 stripes but one group (either 2 or 3) (i have 13 total in a 550) has this unusual marking:

Hum - can't attach picture here - it has a large black mark between the 2nd and 3rd stripe - what i don't know is if that signals a different catch location (I think there are 3 major ones for clowns); or just a random variance.

To post a picture on this old and relatively unfrequented forum I believe you must host your picture on a service such as Imgur, then paste the link(BBcode) to the picture in your post.

I just confirmed it is still working by posting a picture I collected from the internet (so not mine and I do not have any further info) of two fish with pattern aberration.

I do have something to add on the odd patterning. This can be desirable to many Clown Loach collectors. In addition to the usual three striped fish there are a variety of random pattern aberrations and even a lack of black pigment where the stripes are white.

I am not personally attracted to these. I think this is partly because I saw the arrival of a shipment of hormone bred fish from the Czech Republic and many (over 50%) of them were like this. Many of the fish (over 50%) had other imperfections also, most notably the head shape which was not beautiful.

When I have looked carefully at a large shipment, say of 200 wild fish, it has been usual to find one or two with pattern aberration.

I do not see a link between pattern aberration and collection location, though the background colour of the fish is influenced by this with some fish being a richer orange and other localities providing a paler less colourful fish.

Thank you for the comments. I do like loaches with unusual pattern but of course not tank raised ones and definitely not cz fishes (for many reasons). I presume you like oddball markings just not the artifically produced ones by cz but perhaps i misread your statement. I generally avoid external sites for hosting pictures for a lot of reasons but i might eventually get around to setting up a local server to host my pictures - but then again there are only 1 or 2 sites that i used that only allow links to pictures (this being one of them). Oh well thanks for the comments - and that picture you posted is one nice looking loach

One of the thing that prompted me to post is that both of my 'oddball' loaches look identical which made me suspect it was genetic or location - i.e, it isn't just an odd marking but it is the same on both (either 2 or 3 that i had purchased from wetspot). Of course your picture shows 2 with similar (but not identical markings).

I appreciate your thanks, one is acknowledged only rarely. You do not need to go to the trouble of posting a picture for me. I have a serviceable imagination. I don't value fish with unusual patterns more highly.

I spend more time on Clown Loach fanatics where fish with unusual patterns ARE very much celebrated.

Clown Loach Fanatics is a busy and friendly place to exchange information about Clown Loaches. Videos are often preferred to photos. Sometimes information is presented without scientific rigour, but that is to be expected of an everyman audience and one can always interject when it is vital or helpful to do so.

I agree with redshark. I vastly prefer "natural stripes" on my clown loaches too. I will always reject "oddball" clowns when buying them. They can be attractive in their own way...but that's not my way. I want my fish to look like they do in the wild...not like inbred hormone treated oddities. To each their own way...

Did you observe or keep its original image? Many atmospheric changes come from the aquatic environment. Many fish species will have certain changessnake io. You need to test and research which features are suitable.

NancyD wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 02, 2023 11:24 pm

I agree with redshark. I vastly prefer "natural stripes" on my clown loaches too. I will always reject "oddball" clowns when buying them. They can be attractive in their own waysnow rider 3d...but that's not my way. I want my fish to look like they do in the wild...not like inbred hormone treated oddities. To each their own way...

I see that as a unique feature. Without those features, the beauty of the fish world cannot be created.

Clown loaches, like many fish, can display a degree of natural color and pattern variation. Some individuals may have unique markings that deviate from the typical orange and black bands. This could be part of the fish's natural variation and not necessarily a cause for concern.
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