Loaches Online Forum

Remember these? http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=4728

Well, here's some updated pictures now that the Indian Crimson Loaches have been in for a month and a half. Many have now got much more subdued colours, although there are still a few really bright specimens. Having had more time to observe these, I must say that they have become very, very aggressive towards one another.

A brightly coloured specimen (male?)


A beautiful lighter coloured specimen (female?)


Isn't this loach just the cutest?


Close-up (difficult to get completely in focus, these loaches are very small!)


Overhead shot, again not completely sharp, but shows the markings on the back quite nicely:




And finally here is this rather 'evil' looking chap:

I think this is a different species.

Emma

Great stuff, Em. The colouring still makes me wonder, though. Do they come from waters with fairly high tannins? It continues to surprise me that the dorsal length of the fish should be camouflaged while the sides are so red and striking.

wow, those are beauties!

Lovely!!

The females remind me of my little Schistura unknown07.

thanks for sharing, they are really beautiful too bad they are agressive towards each other, but hey, you can't have it all huh?

Kris

Wow, beautiful pictures and lovely loaches, but I must say that if look could kill....that last one - I had to keep scrolling back to see him again - very impressive 'stare' and such dark eys!!(My son would probably say he is from the 'dark side' )

Thanks all.

Emma

Was looking in Freshwater Fishes of Kerala book today. They have a picture a of a freshly preserved loach that is very very close if not identical with a Crimson Loach. They ID it is Schistura nilgiriensis Menon, 1987. The Crimson's are known to have been caught near or in Kerala.

The main difference I can see is that they quote the short lateral line from the original description (according to Menon it stops near the tip of the pectoral fin), and the bars are more distinct ventro laterally near the posterior of the body.

If you look at some of the close ups in Emma's post:

http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php ... 33fdb77abe

you will see that the lateral line pits extend much further along the back, but if you look at the images on this thread, the large pores do stop around the end of the pectoral fin. Could the Crimson Loach be Schistura nilgiriensis?

Do you have a such things as scanners down there in the pits of hell, TDO? If so, could you scan the pic of the preserved Schistura nilgiriensis for us to have a look

Emma

Emma Turner wrote:Do you have a such things as scanners down there in the pits of hell, TDO? If so, could you scan the pic of the preserved Schistura nilgiriensis for us to have a look

Emma

Hi Emma

No, they melt. I do have a fireproof camera though and I will try and take an image of it.

Sorry they are a bit blurred and colours not good with the heat down here. One with flash, and one without.