Loaches Online Forum

This intensely coloured specimen came in with a batch of 'normally' coloured red lizard loaches listed as Homaloptera orthogoniata. I have not fiddled with the colour saturation in any way, this is how it appears to the naked eye - if not more intense 'in person'. Are these neon coloured specimens seen from time to time? I've never seen one quite like this before. All the others in the batch are a more dull browny-red:











Apologies for water marks etc on glass, I was in the middle of helping with tonights shipments, when this one (which arrived 2 weeks ago with the normal coloured ones) very obviously caught my eye! I can try for more pics later in the week if needed. The pigment on the nose/front of face is incredible.

Emma

That's a new loach species for me. Never seen anything like it.

Stunning fish Emma

wow

Very cool!!
I've never seen one like that. Of course I have only seen a handful of that species.
I think you better take that one home, Emma.

I have never seen that colour on any of these. Amazing.

Now that is spectacular! It must be great to be in the right place ALL of the time Emma.

I think you need to start exporting, so those of us in fish depressed areas can purchase gorgeous fish like these. Wow!

If Emma did exports, we would have a bidding war on that one! Amazing!!!!!!!

Neat!

emma you had better be keeping that one!

You lot have twisted my arm. If it's still there by the weekend, I shall bring it home.

Thanks for all the great comments!

Emma

It looks a bit odd. An albino, but not really. I think I prefer the normal color pattern, but this one is interesting. Are you confident it's natural?

I'm really starting to love the Homaloptera species. Didn't see them until I browsed the species index a while back. Makes it very tempting for me to reconsider the plans for my future tank, but I think I'd better not.

Hi Dutch,

Yes, I'm 100% confident it's natural. Currently all Homaloptera species available in the trade are wild caught. The way the neon colour graduates into the duller coloured parts says to me that this is natural colour. Some years back, I found an interesting contaminant in with a batch of H. confuzona, which we never identified. It is documented here and has a fluorescent horizontal stripe running through the body: http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ho ... identified. These fish are so delicate to export, that if anyone interfered with them e.g. dying, tattooing etc, they would not survive.

Emma

Hi Emma,

Do you know if the coloration was like that when they were caught? It might sound strange but the stress response in fish can have an effect on its color. Since these are so sensitive, it could be caused by the transport.