Subfasca Loach? Pictures! ID?

[starsplitter7]

Hi,

Has anyone ever heard of a Subfasca or Subfascia Loach? MY LFS has them in stock. They are shaped like Schistura have wider bands towards the head and narrow bands toward the tail. Silver in color, bands are dark gray. May have a little yellow of red on fins. They sit up on their pectoral fins.

I am just curious. I asked my LFS if they could give me the actual name. They said actual name? I said scientific first name and last name. They just looked at me like I am some kind of crazy loach owner.

I did look online and in the Loaches species list.

Tanja.

[Emma Turner]

There is a Nemacheilus subfusca, a subtropical species known from India & Tibet.

Emma

[starsplitter7]

I looked all over the web for pictures of Nemacheilus subfusca, but there's really no info at all. The only thing I could find is that it is from China, and you said Tibet and India, so maybe it crosses over a couple countries. Even a bibliography only shows a few books have it mentioned.

No pictures anywhere. Sigh!

Thanks for your help. Tanja.

[Emma Turner]

Here is a pic I found whilst searching under the synonymn of Schistura subfusca: (once you find the image, you can click on it to enlarge)

Anything like the ones you saw?

Emma

......i shrunk the link to eliminate the wide screen...
shari

[starsplitter7]

That one is definitely more attraction with the orange spots on dorsal and cool design on head. The body is similar, but the face of the sub I saw is shorter.

Fish looks like this (but isn't):
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ne ... -platiceps

And like this, but take away the red tail, put the broad bands in front and the intricate, thinner bands in the back.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/schistura-mahnerti

Body silver, bands dark gray. No major color.
I need to get a picture. This is driving me crazy. I'll go back and visit and get a picture.

Thanks, Tanja.

[starsplitter7]

Here are pictures of that mystery loach that was named "Subfasca Loach". They are about 2" long.

Out of the tank: very unhappy.


In the tank



Any idea what this is? I assume a hillstream variety. Don't seem too terribly territorial. Note the white dot near the caudal fin.

[Mark in Vancouver]

It's got all the right stripes to be in the mahnerti group, but the face is too long.

[starsplitter7]

You are absolutely correct. The stripes look like S. mahnerti, but the face is too long and mine don't have the coloring on the fins. Maybe it is closely related.

I have lots of hidey holes, but I will seperate them if there are signs of aggression. I will also let the LFS know that they can be terratorial. I think I am the only loach person in the area.

[bslindgren]

My LFS has them up here in Prince George as well. They are selling them as red tail zebra loach, which after some digging I determined to be Schistura subfusca. Apparently 'subfusca' is not a valid name name anymore, however (someone must have described tem after they were already described), because it is now S. mahnerti (if you check the middle column for S. mahnerti you will find S. subfusca and if you google Schistura subfusca you'll get a bunch of archived posts from LOL as well as pictures of S. mahnerti)). I think the colour variation relative to the pictures of S. mahnerti may be becauuse the specimens in the LFSs are small, and the pics are adults. The largest specimen they have up here has a definite reddish tail, but the small guys look identical to yours.

Incidentally, what are they asking where you are? They want $8.95 here, I think.

[starsplitter7]

So it will be interesting watching these guys grow up. They are pretty and active.

The price is either $3.69 or $3.99. I don't think the LFS realizes what a neat fish they have, since they are so unhappy in the show tank. It would be cool if they got red fins.

How do you explain the long face? Maybe it looks shorter as the body grows.

[bslindgren]

How do you explain the long face? Maybe it looks shorter as the body grows.

Either same thing - young fish - or it's not Schistura mahnerti. I'm certainly not an expert, so perhaps some of the more experience folks will weigh in with an opinion on this.

[bslindgren]

BTW check out http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/Pictures ... at=species on FishBase. That's bang on for the ones they have up here, and it seems right for what you have as well, doesn't it?

[starsplitter7]

Sure does look like it. I am sure there must be variation throughout species. I spent several hours trying to identify this fish. But without the proper name it is really difficult. I did see S. mahnerti, but without the red fins, I didn't think it was correct.

Thanks again.

P.S. My Barred Spiny Eel has been out and about checking out its new home. Seems pretty happy.

[Emma Turner]

They are selling them as red tail zebra loach, which after some digging I determined to be Schistura subfusca. Apparently 'subfusca' is not a valid name name anymore, however (someone must have described tem after they were already described), because it is now S. mahnerti (if you check the middle column for S. mahnerti you will find S. subfusca and if you google Schistura subfusca you'll get a bunch of archived posts from LOL as well as pictures of S. mahnerti)).

Schistura subfusca is an old (no longer used) synonym of Nemacheilus subfusca.

There are several red tailed zebra loaches/red tailed sand loaches exported from Asia such as Schistura mahnerti (the most commonly seen), S. vinciguerrae, and S. poculi to name a few. An accurate collection location goes a long way to aid a quick identification, but there are various other measurements and differences (internal and external) that are not so easy to differentiate with.

Emma

[starsplitter7]

Thanks so much.