Yasuhikotakia lecontei Profile.*x

[Martin Thoene]

*Work in progress*

Scientific Name: Yasuhikotakia lecontei (Kottelat, 2004)

Common name: Silver Loach, Yellow-finned Loach.

Synonyms: Botia lecontei (Fowler, 1937)

Distribution: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand.

Sexual Dimorphism: Females generally plumper all over than males.

Maximum size: 10 inches. More normally a max of 7" in aquaria.

Similar to: Juveniles particularly can be mistaken for yellow-finned populations of Yasuhikotakia modesta.

Care: Occurs in medium fast-flowing rivers, often over a rocky substrate. Due to its potential size and need for the company of its own species, a large tank is required with excellent filtration and regular water-changes.
Y. lecontei are excellent diggers that appreciate a sand substrate to protect their delicate barbels. Lighting should be subdued.

Feeding: Good quality flake, sinking pellets, algae wafers, chopped earthworms, thawed frozen Bloodworm, Mysis Shrimp, chopped Cocktail Shrimp. Avoid over-feeding as these fish are very greedy.

Water parameters: pH:6.5-7.5. Hardness: Medium. Max dh:

Temperature: 78.8ºF to 86ºF(26-30°C)

Breeding: Not bred in aquaria.

Notes: Easily mistaken for Y. modesta, Yasuhikotakia lecontei is a less heavily-built loach. Young particularly have a flatter belly profile and the whole body is proportionately longer than in Y. modesta. Another factor that confuses identification is that some populations of Y. lecontei may have reddish fins instead of the more common yellow. Young may have vertical thin barring along the flanks which dissapears as they grow.

They should be kept in a group of their own species, as like most Botiine Loaches, they have a social structure and an "Alpha" loach will eventually lead the group. The fish are territorial and a lot of in-fighting will be seen, however they seem to be slightly milder tempered than some other Yasuhikotakia. Provide numerous hiding places so that less dominant fish may escape the attentions of more boisterous individuals.

Y. lecontei should only be kept with other boisterous loach species, or large, fast moving, free-swimming fish such as large Barb species.

Body and fin coloration can be very variable in this species, probably due to the wide distribution in nature. Fins can be red, orange or yellow and body colour varies greatly, but is generally a light blue-grey, silvery or silvery brown in colour, sometimes with a light green sheen in certain lighting.


Caption: Yasuhikotakia lecontei
Credit: Ken Childs


Caption: Yasuhikotakia lecontei
Credit: Richard Wildeman


Caption: Yasuhikotakia lecontei
Credit: Richard Wildeman


Caption: The red-finned version of Y. lecontei looks very like Y. modesta.
Credit: Kamphol Udomritthiruj

[shari2]

however they seem to be slightly milder tempered than some other Yasuhikotakia.

??? 'milder tempered' ??? than which? The one I had (which we never were really sure was an eos) was a ferocious sob who had every creature in the tank firmly in their place. AND he ate a bunch of tetras. Stalked them and ate them...I have a witness.

yellow fins, streamlined body, came in with a bunch of modestas and for a solid week at the lfs had staked and held the entire middle section of the tank and had all the modestas hiding and sliding around the corners. They wouldn't even cut through his space for fear of retaliation.

Based on this pic, I'm thinking he was more like a lecontei than an eos. . .

[Martin Thoene]

Oh.............."Your mileage may vary" ??????

Maybe an edit is called for?

Martin.

[shari2]

Nah, he was probably an anomaly...one of those 300 frustrated animals...or something...

[Mark in Vancouver]

I corrected the name attribution. All Yasuhikotakias are Kottelat's, remember.

[Mark in Vancouver]

And I corrected all the Syncrossus as well. We have to watch for Sinibotias and the correct attributions.

[Martin Thoene]

Which means the book is in serious need of updates

Martin.

[shari2]

Wonder if Mark has heard anything from the pub re-updates submissions...

and btw, that 'maybe lecontei' was my first loach. Started the whole dang thing!

[Martin Thoene]

Hah! I guess you liked its "character"

The more time goes by, the more I worry about the book getting published in a truly current available info form. It's already deficient in a few areas and that's not our fault. It's time and changes in knowledge.
I totally believe that as it stands it is streets ahead of any other book, but with relatively minor text changes it can be bang on the money again.
And they can even have the revisions for free.
Needs a visit from the New Jersey loach mobster again. Pointed enquiries as to schedules, olive branch of free updates, that sort of thing. A bit of you give a little, we'll give a little.

We need to write a book on getting blood out of stones


Martin.

[shari2]

If Mark is ok with it, I will go. But I'd like input from him (and everyone) regarding whether or not updates will be gratis, what the offer is, how you would like it approached.

Somehow I doubt the 'loach mobster' approach will work for Mark. Maybe the 'loach executive secretary' would be more the thing...

[Martin Thoene]

Yes....I was thinking more the latter myself.

Martin.

[Mark in Vancouver]

No, we are on the schedule. A fall release won't go into production until the winter/spring. No need to hassle them, IMO.

Also, if they operate like any other publisher, and I don't have any reason to doubt it, their first kick at the can will be a first substantive edit of the ms. This will be given back to me and Mr. T for review and input. At that point, all corrections can be made - and updated material inserted.

We send our edits back to them and they will insert the photos and captions, and combine our edits into "first pages." This will be sent back to us for careful review and further corrections can be made. First pages also go to a proof reader and all our comments will be combined into second pages.

Second pages may be shown to us or just to their copy editor, and at this point they'll be looking at things like page numbers, extra spaces, smart apostrophes, and photo credits. Then the book is typeset and readied for the printer. Printing takes anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months depending on where they get it done, and it may be printed in Asia, which is often 30% cheaper, but you get the delay in shipping. The printer will send proofs to the publisher to check for correct files and colour editing. Then boom, there's the book.

[shari2]

Thanks Mark! Insight into the process is reassuring.

[Martin Thoene]

It will be fantastic if that's the process. Harold has been showing me some recent TFH stuff. If it turns out anything like their Marine Angel fishes book it'll be awesome. Loads of pictures, full page plates, etc. Much as our vision.....and a big squareish format too.

Martin.