Rosy Loach - a name found?

[Emma Turner]

Steve,

I was just wondering, did Dr Kottelat mention this species at all when you sent him our pics and he made that comment that he thought it looked like a type of Yunnanilus?

Cheers,

Emma

[The.Dark.One]

Hi Emma

No he didnt, but coincidentally I have just emailed him all this info and he has replied straight back.

He doubts that it would be discoloris if the Rosy's are indeed from Arakan in Myanmar, as he is not aware of any connection between the spring near Lake Dianchi where discoloris is from, and the Arakan area. Also he feels the body shape is different, and that discoloris isnt rosy?

He says it may even be a Physoschistura but cant be sure based on the pictures we have sent.

Damn! Thought I'd cracked it for definite. Still interesting possibility though.

[Graeme Robson]

Arrgg Bugger!

Great work though, Steve. I appreciate it.

[The.Dark.One]

Thanks

[Emma Turner]

Yes thank you for your detective work, Steve. So maybe it is an undescribed (Yunnanilus?) sp. after all.

Emma

[Emma Turner]

For those who haven't already seen this, the 'Galaxy Rasbora thread' over on petfrd shows habitat pics for this species, and it has been said that the Rosy Loaches are also found there. The habitat sadly appears to be in a state of decline:

http://www.petfrd.com/forum/showthread. ... e=26&pp=15
(see page 26 of this thread).

Emma

[alphaneko]

Excellent! I'm planning to group a school of galaxy's with my rosy loaches. Looks like this confirms that they both exist in a lower flow environ.
Now if I could only get mine to develop that red glow that everyone else's seems to have..

On another note, it's really quite sad that human activity is threatening them in the wild. I hope they won't become another aquarium-only species..

[Graeme Robson]

Thanks for the Heads up, Emma.

[chris1932]

I find it interesting that both of these "nano" fish reside in the same area. I have noticed that water quality does not effect these fish quite as bad as some of the other loaches I keep. I guess I can use the same water parameters that the people who have gotten the Galaxy to breed, might coax a Rosie to do the same?

[Graeme Robson]

We hope, Chris. http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=4591

[alphaneko]

I just got a school of 9 galaxy's to go with my 6 rosy loaches. The keeper at my lfs mentioned that they prefer higher temps, 80F/26C and low water flow. The galaxy's are also not as timid as people have mentioned... they were actually trying to school with the spastic rosy's and the larger threadfins I have in the tank!