Botia histrionica or B. kubotai?

[Frank M. Greco]

Hi Folks. First post here. I have a group of what was sent as polka dot Botias. There appears to be two different (marking-wise, at least) types in this group (see pics). Anyone here able to tell me if these are either Botia histrionica or B. kubotai, or if I have a mix of both? Thanks!

[Graeme Robson]

Hi Frank. Welcome to LOL. To me your answer is both Kubotai. Above picture shows larger specimens compared to smaller specimen in lower picture.

[Frank M. Greco]

Hi Frank. Welcome to LOL. To me your answer is both Kubotai. Above picture shows larger specimens compared to smaller specimen in lower picture.

Thanks for the welcome, and thanks for the identification.
Both fish are the same size, though, if that makes a difference. The apparent size difference is an artifact of photography.

[Jim Powers]

That bottom pic looks like a histrionica to me. How big are these fish?
At my lfs this week, they had a similar mix. Some looked like kubotai and some like histrionica. The fish were about 1.25" or so.

[Frank M. Greco]

That bottom pic looks like a histrionica to me. How big are these fish? At my lfs this week, they had a similar mix. Some looked like kubotai and some like histrionica. The fish were about 1.25" or so.

Yep. About 1" to 1.25" TL. These came in last Sunday.

[Martin Thoene]

Hi Frank, nice to see you here at LOL. You're most welcome.

I assume that you're the same Frank M. Greco who's had articles published in TFH?

I think what you've got there is the "inbetweeny" loach that's caused so much confusion and been the subject of much conjecture in past threads here.

It seems there's a probably localized population of loaches that gets imported fairly regularly that fall somewhere between what one would regard as typical histrionica or typical kubotai.

Someone will refresh my grey cells that forget who it was that has documented the maturing of one of these fish in a series of photos and hopefully provide a thread link.

I saw some fish at a shop in England recently that were labelled histrionica, but were atypical in overall body shape. In fact, they were shaped more like Clowns, but had markings like your last photo.

Nature throwing us curved balls

Martin.

[Jim Powers]

I think this is the thread you are talking about, but the pics are gone.
http://aquaweb.pair.com/forums/archives ... read=86992

[shari2]

I think the problem is that coppermine is down. When it comes back up Robin's series should still be there, I hope. I have that one bookmarked

[Frank M. Greco]

Hi Frank, nice to see you here at LOL. You're most welcome.

Hi Martin. Thanks for the welcome.

I assume that you're the same Frank M. Greco who's had articles published in TFH?

Yes, that's me.

It seems there's a probably localized population of loaches that gets imported fairly regularly that fall somewhere between what one would regard as typical histrionica or typical kubotai.

I will try to get an exact collection location for these animals. This may be of some help. However, getting this info may be easier said than done.