Loaches Online Forum

I received this fish some time ago with a bunch of ctenos. It has yet to color up despite a long settling in period. Initially, I had assumed it was a health related issue or belated shipping stress, but it is has since become the dominant fish in the tank and eats heartily, stays out in the open consistently, and barely twitches a fin even when I open and close the room door or when my roommate jumps off the top bunk. So, is it leucism?

WOW!!!
That's amazing!
Its hard to tell due to the lack of pigment, but I wonder if they might not be a Gastromyzon stellatus. THe body shape and spots (that I can see) make me think that.
Regardless what species it is, it certainly is a rare individual.
Congratulations!!!

Hi Cup,

Does it's colour ever change at all when it engages in minor scuffles with any of the other loaches?

Emma

It does flare its caudal, which has a bit of the fluorescent blue of its conspecifics, but other than that, it pretty much always maintains this shade of color.

"Its hard to tell due to the lack of pigment, but I wonder if they might not be a Gastromyzon stellatus. THe body shape and spots (that I can see) make me think that."

Well, now see, that's why this site is excellent. I just went back to check out the rest of the fish in the group, and after consulting the database here, they do appear to be G. stellatus. Thank you for clearing that up for me. Question, though; what body features tipped you off?


edit: now I am thoroughly confused. The animals in question have the reddish tinge of the stellatus on their caudals, but are completely spotted, as per ctenocaphalus. I'll leave it for you folks to decide, since I am stumped. All the other fishes look like this from the group:

The broad flat head shape with less slope to the snout and flat body, as well as, what looks to me like vermiculations on the caudal instead of round spots, made me think this is stellatus.
But, you say that the caudal is spotted. It doesn't look like that to me, but I am only looking at a pic. You are seeing the fish in person.
So what do you think, now?

Oh, I meant that the flanks were spotted in perfect circles, as per ctenocephalus (see second pic), not the tail--the wording was a bit confusing. Sorry.

However, it seems that the markings on g. stellatus are somewhat vermiculite, though also predominantly spotty.

I used to have a fish that looked just like this one (at the same time)



If it went onto a light surface it would go like this......





I had 3 but only one would go yellow, then go back to normal colour on a dark surface.

Also used to own this guy.....probably a Sinogastromyzon......

It was ALWAYS yellow....the colour in the pic is accurate.





Your fish looks like a stellatus to me because of that reflective subcutaneous orange area under the eyes. That's very distinctive in this species.

Martin.

Wow. Thanks for the info. What is your opinion on the second picture of a different fish? Are these also stellatus?

Most of my tank is collectively one light surface, too, so maybe that's the case, although it maintains this coloration even against a solid black background. That is also one drop dead gorgeous sino.

Thanks all for the aid.