saying hello, a loach story and some questions about sids.

[kimura]

i regularly read this forum and have posted a few times before the forum moved but figured now was a good time to log back in. i have a 240 with 12 kubs, 7 yoyos, 7 clowns, 9 striatas, 5 histironicas, 1 tiger, 2 skunks, 6 zippers (have spawned 2 babies), 2 horsefaced, a few balas and 14 or so rainbows. for the past 2 years i have been looking for sids but never found any locally and i didnt want to pay 20 bucks at fosters and smith. so the other day i found 3 tiny ones at a family owned pet store. i get tired of waiting for a vetern to help me so i ask this kid to get them. i saw him woefully netting some rasporas and specificly told him these are RARE endangered species SO BE CAREFUL. he catches 2 and drops the third 3 feet to concrete. my heart sinks and my temper flares! i leave the other 2 there in disgust but come back a week later and they are still there and healthier than before. i dont want just 2 but i figured i might as well@ 10 bucks a piece. so 3 weeks later i go back in there and they have like 50 sids for 13 bucks. i politely ask for a volume discount and after some consideration he calls the manager and i end up getting 10 for 80 bucks. i decided to put them all in my 75 gallon amazon tank until i can move them to the 240 jungle or set up a species tank just for them. they are eating well and are very active and all seems to be going well. i did notice the first 2 i purchased seem to have 2 rows of circles, one on top and bottom while the newer ones only have the row along the top of their back. is this a geographical varience or a result of inbreeding? i feel pretty confident in taking care of them but any info you guys have(personal or otherwise about sids) for a fellow loach lover would be greatly apprieciated. ill try and post some pics of the 240 in all its loach glory but here is a link to some of my older pics. thanks


http://www.loachtank.com/thumbnails.php?album=88

[kimura]

wow 79 views and no responses huh ? not even a hello and welcome to the forums? geez thats not very loachtastic.

[NancyD]

Hi Kimura, Your link didn't work for me. As for the sids, I have 6 that are still quite small, 1.5 inch. There seems to be some individual variation in pattern,most don't have dark below the lateral line. I think it can be age related too.
Nancy