Hillstream loach - Colour loss

[elly]

My hillstream loach has been losing some colour pigment for the past few days, is that normal?

[Jim Powers]

Is it patchy color loss or uniform color loss? Patchy color loss is most likely an internal bacterial infection.
Is the color loss happening all the time or only when the fish is sitting on a lighter colored rock? If that's the case, that is normal. Its just trying to blend in with the background.

[elly]

The colour loss appears uniform for his whole body, he looks somewhat transparent when he's on the tank glass.

[Jim Powers]

That may just be normal. Do you know what species you have?
If not, check out these links in this thread.
http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=20288

[elly]

I think he's a Beaufortia kweichowensis. When I bought him at my local pet shop they were lablled as "Guitar plecos" I found out later that he was actually a loach.

[Jim Powers]

"Guitar pleco"?
That's a new one for me!

[Martin Thoene]

I've seen that one before. In Toronto as it happens ! When I see small ones labelled as Ukelele Plecos I will know the fish trade's gone completely mad

Martin.