Loaches Online Forum

This may be a stupid question, but I've noticed that there seem to be two different colors where striata are concerned. Some appear to be a brown color and others more of dark blue color. Are these truly two different color variations or do the colors change with age? My local fish store has only carried more brown colored striata as far as I can tell, but I'm more of fan of the darker blue color myself, so I just trying to find out more information. Thanks guys.

Hi I think you will find the difference is just the lighting and or the tannin in the tank water .
They are all normally blue coloured .

I would say the Botia dario has more of this Blue colouration trade than the Botia striata.

I was thinking the same^^ wondering if maybe the op was mixing the 2 species?

i would say all my striata are definately brown and yellow, edging towrds darker brown than blue-brown

Actually, I was looking at the B. Striata profile on the loach website and in some of the photos the loaches are more blue colored while others are more brown. That's why I was wondering about the color.

The camera flash can be the reason, i have many pictures where it shows the blue glint on many fish.

I do seem to remember Emma's big Striata having a bluish caste also I think Mick[thefish] has two different colour strains both browns and blues we have talked about this on more than one occasion.