Loaches Online Forum

...and I would like to share this thread I posted on another forum.

These are my clown loaches behaving very unusual:
http://africancichlidforum.com/forums/i ... topic=4682

And here are photos taken two days earlier of the same fish:

Great clear photos, but I'm pretty certain that what you were observing was a dominance battle between 2 males. It is not unusual for them to 'grey out' in this manner and to fight like this, particularly two fish of a similar size. Neither of the two fish show the great body depths that typical large female clown loaches show.

Emma

Though there wasn't an obvious difference, one did seem to be thicker in the girth than the other. Though neither are of extremely large size yet, which may account for it to some degree.

Phishphorphun, I hope you don't mind if I post your pic here, but I was wondering if anyone might think that the dots on the face of this fish could be tubercules?



Do you have any larger res shots of this fish's face? Also, had you just done a large water change, or were any of your cichlids breeding, by any chance? Had you fed live foods over the last week or so?

And welcome to the forum. Terrific pics, too!

Do you have any larger res shots of this fish's face? Also, had you just done a large water change, or were any of your cichlids breeding, by any chance? Had you fed live foods over the last week or so?

Last water changes were last Friday. The Malawi cichlids are all males. I only feed them New Life Spectrum cichlid formula....no live food.

However, I just moved these loaches from another tank during my Friday water changes. That is the tank where they have been for the past three years. Both tanks are 120g.

I just cropped a closeup for you.

If they have just been moved to a new environment, this would be the perfect time for the fish that was second in line in the pecking order to challenge the dominant fish for the alpha position. Particularly as the two big ones are of a very similar size.

Emma

Best clown loach photos I have ever seen in my life hands down.
Sorry you're having problems.

Can I ask what brand and model camera is that? Or is it just superhuman skill?

You may be interested in the thread below.
http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php ... es&start=0

the first post contains a link to a thread posted at WaterWolves by pintius.

Can I ask what brand and model camera is that? Or is it just superhuman skill?

Thanks. I would like to think that the photographer has more to do with good captures than the equipment.

Nikon D70 DSLR with Nikkor 60mm f/2.8d micro lens, and Nikon SB800 speedflashes used above the tank and fired wireless. Maybe the equipment helps a little.

BTW, besides being an avid fishkeeper, I am also a senior moderator on the Aquatic Photography Forum.

shari2 wrote:You may be interested in the thread below.
http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php ... es&start=0

the first post contains a link to a thread posted at WaterWolves by pintius.

Very interesting read.

Frankly, I'm not interested in breeding my fish (even if it were more common with these loaches). I understand that this mystery to breed these loaches in the aquarium has created an ongoing investigation by most serious observers and keepers.

I'll keep a closer eye (lens) on them in the future. Hopefully the images will help the researchers provide more fodder for this intriquing dilema.

I'll continue to share more photos for those who are interested....or until I bore you all

In the meantime, thank you very much for helping me understand them better.

I took one look at that first photo and thought "Overhead remote flash"
due to the strong shadows. I've not frequented the Aquatic Photography Forum lately. I used to go on there a while back and be continually blown away by the quality of pictures.

Makes my 3.2 mP Canon A70 with built-in flash look puny

I'm hoping to get a DSLR relatively soon.

Beautiful fish and photos.

Martin.

My camera is a Kodak P.O.S (pretty old system )

2 Megapixel (which I doubt).. takes 4 seconds to take a picture... no settings whatsoever for ISO or anything... nothing.. less than nothing.. do you want flash? Yes. That's it..

I'll continue to share more photos for those who are interested....or until I bore you all Smile

I doubt we'll get bored any time soon. Post away!

I will put on several pairs of socks so they can be knocked off

Martin.

Thanks for all the nice comments about the photography.

But back to those little dots on the loaches head. I shot this closeup this morning. That makes four days after the original comotion. The patterned markings are still on this fish.

Those dots look like the sensory pores that martin was talking about. More yellowy. The tubercules were white and much more widespread.