Help identifying a very big gold loach
Moderator: LoachForumModerators
- Gryphoemia
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:15 pm
- Location: Farmington, NM
Help identifying a very big gold loach
I was at a fish store today browsing for potential tankmates for my oscar, when I saw a large fish that I'm almost certain was a loach- it had that distinctive loach shape and face, and was busily cleaning a peice of driftwood. It was around 4"-6" long, and pretty thick. It had a very warm golden color and kind of a mottled or leopard-like pattern, but no stripes. Any idea what this was?
The tank had a sign that said dojo loach, but it was nowhere near snakey enough for that.
The tank had a sign that said dojo loach, but it was nowhere near snakey enough for that.
- Dave Rinaldo
- Posts: 37
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 8:34 am
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Gryphoemia
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:15 pm
- Location: Farmington, NM
- Gryphoemia
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:15 pm
- Location: Farmington, NM
- Jim Powers
- Posts: 5208
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:15 pm
- Location: Bloomington, Indiana
- Gryphoemia
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:15 pm
- Location: Farmington, NM
- Emma Turner
- Posts: 8901
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:07 pm
- Location: Peterborough, UK
- Contact:
Did it look anything like this
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/species ... =aymonieri
Just wondering as there are gold variants of this species out there, and they are quite commonly sold as 'sucking loaches' or 'algae loaches' even though they are not a true loach.
Emma
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/species ... =aymonieri
Just wondering as there are gold variants of this species out there, and they are quite commonly sold as 'sucking loaches' or 'algae loaches' even though they are not a true loach.
Emma
East of the Sun, West of the Moon.
- Gryphoemia
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:15 pm
- Location: Farmington, NM
- sophie
- Posts: 1883
- Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:15 am
- Location: birmingham. definitely not Alabama!
- Contact:
clowns get huuuuge!Gryphoemia wrote:No, it didn't look like chinese algea eater- it wasn't elongated enough, and lacked the stripe.
It was proportioned more like a skunk or clown loach, just bigger.
there is/was a thread on here which mentioned that b. rostrata lose the stripes and get very "blotchy" as they get older - the page for them on the species index is here: http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/bo ... trata.html
most if not all of the photos are of young loaches; but if you imagine a bigger, solider, blotchy-instead-of-striped version (c'mon, work with me!) would that be a possibility?
- Martin Thoene
- Posts: 11186
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:38 am
- Location: Toronto.....Actually, I've been on LOL since September 1998
How about?
http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/bo ... serim.html
You have to remember that Botia almorhae can get to 6" or so, but they're not really golden based in colouration.
Martin.
http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/bo ... serim.html
You have to remember that Botia almorhae can get to 6" or so, but they're not really golden based in colouration.
Martin.
Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
- Gryphoemia
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:15 pm
- Location: Farmington, NM
Hmm. I suppose it could be an older rostrata or tenasserim- they look about the right color and shape, I could see it if they lost the clear stripes as they age.
Either way, he's a pretty cool little fish- I put him on hold and I think I'll go back to pick him up tomorrow. He seemed pretty active and brave, despite being the only loach in the tank, so hopefully he'll work out with my new [messy!] baby oscar.
Either way, he's a pretty cool little fish- I put him on hold and I think I'll go back to pick him up tomorrow. He seemed pretty active and brave, despite being the only loach in the tank, so hopefully he'll work out with my new [messy!] baby oscar.
- Gryphoemia
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:15 pm
- Location: Farmington, NM
Got him home today and tried to get a picture or two. This is the best I could do without torturing him too much- my digital camera leaves much to be desired.
Now that I've gotten a better look at him (holding still), I think he's a little more elongated than I described him, and also a bit smaller- just over 4" from nose to base of tail. Certainly not silvery.
He seems pretty active, but I did notice that one of his eyes looks a little strange- in the middle of the pupil there's a spot of goldish color like the outside rim of the eye. Odd- it doesn't look milk-cloudy like sick fish eyes I've seen before.
Now that I've gotten a better look at him (holding still), I think he's a little more elongated than I described him, and also a bit smaller- just over 4" from nose to base of tail. Certainly not silvery.
He seems pretty active, but I did notice that one of his eyes looks a little strange- in the middle of the pupil there's a spot of goldish color like the outside rim of the eye. Odd- it doesn't look milk-cloudy like sick fish eyes I've seen before.
- Jim Powers
- Posts: 5208
- Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:15 pm
- Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Nice Gryph!
Definitely a yo yo. Most likely a mature or almost mature one by the reticulated pattern. My female yo yo was much more of a golden base than the younger males which were decidedly silver.
and yes, botia=loach at least in your case.
Family=Cobitidae
Genus=Botia
Species=formerly lohachata, now almorhae
and yes, botia=loach at least in your case.
Family=Cobitidae
Genus=Botia
Species=formerly lohachata, now almorhae
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 353 guests