Loaches Online Forum

Much better, thanks!
And Graeme, it does illuminate some of the 'mysteries' of hormone injection breeding that we've been wondering about for some time.

Please send! Please send!

Me too please!

Martin.

Paper sent. Check your mail.

I completed the paper on "artificial propagation of fish species" for my Bsc. In doing so I discovered the potential for its use. The old method which involved direct extraction of hormone from the pituitary gland* was, I thought primitive to say the least and it was counter productive to kill a specimen to save a species. So I used some of the old theory and mixed it with my own new thoughts like adding O2 to aid recovery and a more refined or specific hormone to add to the success rate, together with anesthetic. I think Shari (lovely girl) has shared the paper with some of you. As I have stressed before, I do not recommend anyone try this unless they have a sound scientific backround. Unless carried out correctly it will result in undue cruelty to the specimen, no one wants that.

*Thought to be responsible for sexual developement and the subsequent hormones which are involved

I'd like to see this paper, too, if I may. I've just gone into the coppermine site and looked at every single close up of a clown face, from tiny ones to the biggest we've seen. While there are tubercules present in some of them, not one has this look of Pintius' pictures. Can he/she, or someone please elaborate for this forum what the theory is? Maybe Shari or Martin can email me the paper? Thanks.

Mark, the breeding season in most species is at best very breif, maybe a week or so. The photo you have shown is possibly what Martin is being confused with. Martin correctly depicted sensory vesicles on the head which are present at all times. Only my fascination/obsession has discovered a narrow window where these sensory vesicles can be destinguished from breeding tubercles. Try to view them laterally ( from the top) in a mature specimen they will appear white rather than yellow as in the sensory organs*, this will resemble white spot but will cover the head only

*Still not sure if this is the case, just saying so to keep eveyone happy

The picture you have shown is either a female or a male which is out of breeding season, otherwise the picture would be of sufficient quality to view tubercles. Is this your own fish? Lovely specimen and great photo if it is. I realise that you have probably looked at lots of pics to find tubercles without success. But now that we know what we are looking for, hopefullly there will be more folks looking for them and so more folk will find them, thats what new discoveries are all about. There are more facts which prove my findings than those which disprove them

Hmmm, can I have a copy too please?

So basically, there is a small window in which we will only see these tubercules in the old/revised Botiine family. Similar to Hillstream/Brook loaches..etc when in breeding conditions.

The paper is only on artificial fish propagation, not on sex differentiation of clowns

I presume so, since it has never been observed before, that is the only conclusion I can come to

Cant help but feel cheated about he way that my paper is being distributed without my consent, thanks guys. lesson learned

I've always thought my clowns had fine white spots on their foreheads. Went through my pics and found these. They are presented unadjusted, only cropped.

Is this what you are talking about?







Cheers
Brian

should be a little more pronounced, almost like ich. Think they are too faint and too few to be tubercles.