Loaches Online Forum

A week ago, these tiny little loaches came in under the 'Yunnanilus cf brevis - Burmese Yunnan Loach' nametag. They don't look like typical Y. brevis to me, and they don't behave like Y. brevis either - but then these are really small (1.0-1.25" TL) and I have never seen Y. brevis at that size. I think they are some sort of Nemacheilus or Schistura though. What do you reckon?



















That's my finger, for size comparison (couldn't find the ruler)


And finally a short video, showing their behaviour in the stock tank (please turn volume down):

http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k183/ ... CN1560.flv

Apologies that some of the pics are quite poor, but these are so tiny and active which made photography difficult! When you see them in the flesh (and on the vid, compared to the still pics) the stripes posterior of the dorsal fin are really obvious, compared to the markings anterior of the dorsal. Anyone like to hazard a guess at an ID? Burma is the definite country of collection.

Emma

What are these?

I don't know but i want some! They are stunning little things!

They do however remind me of these,

http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php ... =schistura

But there's little details which are different.

David

Cute loaches Emma !

They look very nice whatever they may be named. I swear I'm so jealous of all you folks with new loaches. I haven't seen anything other than Clown Loaches at the LFS in over 2 years. Sigh.

I think it's time, The Dark One is involved over this fish.
not a mind blower but would be good to keep.

mick

I will summon him!

I am summoned!

I've looked at all the loaches from Yunnan (some of these may extend into parts of Myanmar) and they don't appear to match them.

The have a look of S. sikmaiensis (the N. putaoensis specimens), and also perhaps of a young Nemacheilus platiceps (but this is only known from Vietnam).

I don't think it is a Yunnanilus. It's hard to tell at this size but I agree with Emma that they are either a Nemacheilus (based on head shape and eye size, although this could be due to their developmental size), or a Schistura (looking at the shape of the caudal fin in the last shot).

I can't be sure when this size but they may be S. sikmaiensis, or undescribed. We shall see as they get older!!!

Thank you, Dark Lord. I will endeavour to track their progress!

Emma

Very nice indeed!

Some of them do seem to carry the traditional Dorsal spot in which we see with the Schistura's.

mickthefish wrote:not a mind blower but would be good to keep.

I dunno Mick, the first specimen shown is stunning. I wouldn't mind getting a few and for some reason they look like the sort of loach that can be bred in the home aquarium to me? OK OK, i've officially gone crazy!

I also see some assassin snail eggs on the plant to the left on the last picture.

David

you know what i mean David,
when the cf balteata came through i just stood in front of the tank and went WOW. this fish has'nt got that wow ,
but it would be interesting to have.

mick

Hi,

we`ve bought a group of this little loaches a few days ago.
Ingo Seidel from Aqua Global(Berlin) identified them as Yunnanilus cruciatus, but he was not allready sure...

Cheers Markus

the dorsal counts spot on Markus, and i know Ingo will have done alot of checking plus it's not often he is wrong.
thanks

mick
ps and wecome to LOL mate

Interesting! The Vietnamese Yunnanilus was the one name i forgot about when chatting to Emma. The Yunnanilus cruciatus could possibly over flow into Myanmar past Thailand? Not sure but it could be something similar or a new find of Yunnanilus cruciatus in Myanmar or a new species all together.

Morphology from Fishbase: Differs from all its congeners by the following combination of characters: distinct vertical bars on body; 8 branched dorsal fin rays; one pair of large papillae in median part of upper lip; lower posterior margin of opercle with 3-4 prominent indentations

Hi,

here a lousy Pic, they`re a little shy in the tank(together with Gymnochanda filamentosa)



But these Specimen are definetly from Vietnam.

Chees Markus[/img]