Hillstream Loach ID?

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deina-kun
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jul 30, 2011 6:31 am

Hillstream Loach ID?

Post by deina-kun » Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:07 pm

Hello,

I have four Gastromyzon hillstream loaches and was wondering if someone could help confirm the sexes of my loaches? Both loaches are about the same size (1.25") and are speckled with large yellow spots.

Loach #1, Gladstone: http://imgur.com/a/lkQda#WQZFg

Image

The first Gastromyzon, Gladstone, is a Gastromyzon scitulus (which I think is a girl). When I introduced the second one, she found him on a rock and started smacking him with her tail. It looked like she was trying to bury him into the sand to get him off the rock. She might have been claiming her superiority in the tank, since she's always been the most aggressive out of all my hillstream loaches. This loach has a broader body, but its fins aren't as big as the second loach, nor does its spots go onto its fins.

Loach #2, Pascal: http://imgur.com/a/lkQda#JjcgA

Image

When I bought the second one yesterday, I thought he was a Beaufortia kweichowensis and bought it on the spot, but its mouth looks like a Gastromyzon now that I had a chance to look at him closely. His fins are much longer than the first hillstream, too. He has larger spots on his body that are bright yellow/gold, and the spots go onto his fins. His body is narrower than the first one, but seems longer, too. His face is more elongated as well, but not by much.

Let me know what you think!
20 gal long river tank: Gastromyzon ctenophalus (2), Gastromyzon scitulus (1), Gastromyzon zebrinus (1), Sewellia lineolata (2)
Forums: Loaches.com | SCAPE

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Jim Powers
Posts: 5208
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2005 6:15 pm
Location: Bloomington, Indiana

Re: Hillstream Loach ID?

Post by Jim Powers » Fri Aug 12, 2011 4:26 pm

From what I can see I would say the fish in the first pic is G. ctenocephalus because of the visible barbels.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ga ... nocephalus
The fish in the second pic is G. scitulus because of the spotting.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ga ... n-scitulus
It would be very helpful if you had pics showing them from above.
Check out each profile and the photo galleries at the bottom of each profile and let us know what you think.
As far as sexing the fish, that can be difficult to do.
Image

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