Loaches Online Forum

Marbled Hog Loach - Lepidochepalichthys thermalis - can anyone tell me about this guy? How big, etc

Thanks

Here you go Wendie........

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/le ... -thermalis

This is a recently imported species so specifics aren't really known, but generally the care will be the same as for other Lepidocephalichthys. Graeme has the ones in the pictures so i'm sure he can chip in with observations.

Martin.

Thanks. I'm still trying to track down this little guy. I thought it might be that one but although they are similar there is a difference.

Hi Wendie,

The photo shows a schistura, perhaps a Manherti, or any of the several similar looking species (e.g. Poculi). Not a thermalis.

I got six of these thermalis chaps on Tuesday. Mine are small (1.25"-1.5"), probably will double in size eventually...if survive. Still mostly hiding, but seem to be eating flakes et al from the ground.

One of these things:

Wendie, was this the 'odd' loach that came in with your Rosy Loaches? If so, origin would point to Myanmar.

Emma

He's got to be in that family. He came in with the rosy loaches. They have a few more which I'll get when he has a chance to catch them.

Thanks

What would you estimate it's length to be? Also, it is difficult to tell from the pic, but are all fins completely hyaline (colourless) or are there any rows of small dots etc?

Emma

Wendie wrote:Thanks. I'm still trying to track down this little guy. I thought it might be that one but although they are similar there is a difference.

If it is from Myanmar and Salween basin, it may be a young Schistura vinciguerrae? Compare photo of pattern in Inland Fishes of Myanmar. Not showing red in fins though.

What do you think about Schistura bella, Steve? Wrong location, but that's not to say the supplier holding the Rosy Loaches didn't get stuff from elsewhere too, and as we know, fish can jump...
There are several similarities with the pictures and description in Kottelat's Indochinese Nemacheilines book.

Emma

Emma Turner wrote:What do you think about Schistura bella, Steve? Wrong location, but that's not to say the supplier holding the Rosy Loaches didn't get stuff from elsewhere too, and as we know, fish can jump...
There are several similarities with the pictures and description in Kottelat's Indochinese Nemacheilines book.

Emma

Hi Emma

Yeah, it does look like the holotype of bella. You could be onto something there.

I would say the little guy is about 1 1/4 inches in size and since I've had it several months I doubt if it will grow anymore. It also added some girth to it's body but nothing like a kuhli does.

It spends a lot of time atop the wood and has several crevices which it will dart into when frightened. It also spends a lot of time sitting on the bottom gravel directly underneath the outflow of the AQ filter. He moved from one tank to another via an internal filter.

Each time, the fish have come in with a load of rosy loaches. When I first saw him I thought that it might be a female rosy but then he became longer and acted different than the rosy loaches.

He's currently hiding so when he comes out I'll check the dorsal but I think it's clear.

If the specimen is from Myanmar, it is quite possibly Schistura sikmaiensis. This species is from that area and the pattern matches.

I checked on that one. Different body shape and no color in the tail.
He does have what appears to be also neon type gold spots near the base of his tail.