Loaches Online Forum

Emma you must have a REEEEALLY good quality camera and wrists of iron to get a steady shot of this


Cute babies- tiny though. Those ceramic ring media are only like 1/3" or something across@!!

Congratulations!

I never cease to be amazed at the quality of all your stuff

Harold (my X-boss) who works at Menagerie says he knows you and you chat back and forth some times. He's in awe of how immaculate your store is. I quote:

"We get lots of our stuff from the same supplier but... I don't know I just don't get it..."

In other words- I dont know how those guys keep everything so immaculate

Thank you, angelfish.

No sign of the mystery stripey baby in the same hiding spot today. I really really hope that he's still in there somewhere. I figure that it must be at least a week or so old and has made it this far, so hopefully it knows to stay hidden and out of the way of the adult Schisturas. I have a feeling I'm going to be glued to this tank all afternoon/evening!

Emma

Emma you must have a REEEEALLY good quality camera and wrists of iron to get a steady shot of this

She has much stronger wrists since I encouraged her to clean the glass more

I've been watching my new balteata when feeding. They have great visual acuity it seems. I started to fear greatly for this baby's safety.

Martin.

At first I though it might be a young Otocinclus cocama (zebra oto), but your last shot of it, it looks like a young Schistura to me???

Wow!

Thats amazing news! It must be either schistura or spotted sewelia. (thats my guess, but if asked to put head on the block, i'll say spotted sewelia).

I spent most of yesterday camped out in front of the tank on my beanbag looking for the new little stripey chap, but to no avail. It could still be in there because there is such a multitude of hiding spots and this fish was sooooo tiny, but if I could just get another glimpse of it, I'd feel happier.

Emma

Well the good news is that the mystery stripey fry is still in the tank! I've been checking the area where I first spotted it on and off all day, and, to much relief, I saw it again just now not to far from the same area!

The bad news is that the photograph is terrible , but proves it's there:



Emma

The Good news are the important ones... Hopefully, it is smart enough to continue hiding while it is needed....

Concurring with Graeme...it is probably a Sewellia. Will be interesting to see the stripes disappear if this is what to happen.

Whatever it is, it has a high cuteness quotient.

Martin.

Looking back at the first pictures, i've just imagined the strong black markings spreading around the body as they grow to reveal small/tiny spots. Spotted sewellia.

Yes! High cuteness!

I managed to get some more (better) pictures of the mystery fry today, as it has suddenly decided to get all brave and was foraging about in the open near the coconut shell cave. I think I did underestimate the size a little (unless there is more than one of course!) as on closer inspection it is around 6-7mm TL. It does seem to back off slightly when any Amano shrimps start venturing anywhere near it, but it's otherwise unfazed by any of the other fish:

Pic 1


Pic 2


Pic 3


Pic 4


Pic 5


Pic 6


Pic 7


Pic 8


Pic 9


No sign of it attempting to 'cling' to anything just yet.

Emma

Fantastic pics considering how difficult i KNOW it must have been to get these. Amazing markings! It almost looks like a tiny kubotai or something apart from the rounded head. I can see barbels, but you can on the S. lineolata at that size.
Having seen these and comparing them to the other baby pics I would say that logically it is probably a "spotty" baby.

Weird thing is, if you were to put two of the babies side by side you would swear this one MUST be a lineolata, based on colour and strength of markings.

Watching this develop is going to be fascinating.

Martin.

ah Emma, where there's one, there's more. for me that's always been the 'rule' about baby fish. if you find one, you'll eventually find another one. and then another one. etc.



it's all great. clearly you and others are now able to make these fish 'happy'. and happy fish breed.

yay!

Fantastic images, Emma!

The Saga continues! (spotted one)

Thank you's. Yes, hopefully this little one is over the 'danger' stage and we can all watch him develop through my camera lens.

Emma