Loaches Online Forum

A week ago I received a shipment of what were described on the supplier's list as "Black Belt Loach - Schistura cf melarancia". I managed to take a few pics in the stock tank the other night - which was difficult as these little loaches (2"TL max) would not stop dancing about! However, since looking at the photos, I see no evidence of a 'black belt' running from gill opening to caudal fin base as in the description on Fishbase. Some of them do look very S. corica-like, but some are light, some dark and some with very different patterns to the next fish. They are not behaving typically for S. corica though - before now, upon importing that species, they have created a war zone in the confines of the stock tanks. These seem friendly with one another and are playing about together and with some of the new Garras quite peacefully. There is also a contaminant in with them, which I believe to be a juvenile Acanthocobitis pavonacea, which would then suggest these loaches are Indian (Schistura corica? or something similar?).

The loaches: (please excuse watermarks/scratches/algae)











With one of the new Clown Garras, which I'll show further down:

















Tiny contaminant:







This was listed as a newly discovered species of Garra from Burma and for now has been given the Clown Garra (Garra cf. flavatra) nametag:





But I think these, also listed as a new species, are amazing. Also claimed to be from Burma, these were assigned the "Samurai Garra (Garra cf. flavatra)" nametag and were available only in a limited quantity and the supplier ran out after 1 week (we got 25 of them). The photos do not do them justice - when they raise their dorsals, they are bright red & yellow:









Again, these were listed as a new species from Vietnam (also limited in quantity) and came in with the "Vietnamese Giant Golden Garra (Garra cf. vietnamicus)" name. Subtle, but pretty:









And just for good measure, here is a quick shot I took of one of the Laos Syncrossus (yellow tiger loach) which has unusual markings. Seen here with a Schistura cf. balteata:



Emma

Lovely fish! and pics Emma

Oooohhh - I can see some full boxes coming back up North soon

I really like the Clown Garra and Samurai Garra

Emma, are the spots more prominent than on the pics,? nice fish but not as mind blowing as i'd have thought.

mick

Emma, no more Garra porn! i have nowhere to put them

Tom has now decided garras are his favourite, and keeps telling me i should get more. between you both, its horrible

the new loaches are cute too

Superb fishes!!

I love the look of the Samurai Garra!!

Is it me or does that "Laos tiger loach" looks like Syncrossus berdmorei?

Those loaches look wonderfuls but those 3 Garras made me drool!!!! Absolutely stunning!!!!!
Brilliant photography as usual Emma!!!

David

Very nice, as always.
Those little schisturas almost seem like a cross between S. corica and S. beavani. Very interesting.
And I love those garras!!!
By the way, have the Loas tigers lost the yellow color?

Superb pics Emma ! they all look pretty to me , those loaches dont look to different from the S .Mapaensis ? its nice to see so many Garras in the hobby at the moment
Looking on the species guide i'd say Pavonacea appears to have more dorsal rays than the fish in your pic Emma ?

piggy4 wrote:its nice to see so many Garras in the hobby at the moment

I sure hope so. I've NEVER seen a single garra sp in any of my lfs which is very disapointing! I'm going tomorrow, hope tis the season for garra. I assume this is also the begginning of the season for loach?!

emma how do you set your camera up ? do you use a tripod ? I have been trying to get shots of my clowns and I not been able get decent pictures to put up here, especially my new 8 1/2 new beauty, any tips would be welcome. I have a Sony dsc-h9 and even went out and bought lenses,but your pics leave me:well looking stupid when I study mine

geaston, i have the sony H1 cybershot,
with the extra lens for close ups, put it on macro mode and the sport mode and to begin with put the beep mode on when it sounds your in focus,
youve seen my pics and they aint that bad.
also put an extra light on the tank your taking shot in.

mick

Very nice. I also really like the Garra.

Emma, very impressing, nice guys

helen nightingale wrote:
...
Tom has now decided garras are his favourite, and keeps telling me i should get more. between you both, its horrible

the new loaches are cute too

I´m also Garra fan now, just added 6 G.Flavatras from the Q-tank to my 2 ones I already had - very sweet guys, not shy at all.

Most impressing, in the Q-tank, they did almost get into the net by themself - stunning. I took out only half the plant pots, than I saw they are not scared, so I picked them - they were like waiting for a taxi

They are defenitely not sick - very active. Q-tank was far too small and they spent about 4 weeks in it (together with 9 Kuhli, 6 Oto´s (my last trial with those two) and 2 S. cf Balteatea (which grew even in that small Q-tank).

Needless to mention, the rest of the pots had to be removed to catch the loaches. It was surprisingly easy to catch the Oto´s with a drinking glass, they can´t see it (glass - so that they don´t get stuck in the net due to their many thorns and spikes)

Hi Daspricey , get on a train and head down to Wigan [Pier aquatics] you'll find Garras a plenty , and Loaches ! or head further down country to Emma's ?