Rosy Loach update... hmmm question

[Wendie]

Here's the latest photos on the little guys but something has come up!!!

Another shot - getting color


Okay, what do we have here? This is not a rosy loach....


This one is more greyish in color with vertical bars starting to come in. There are two markings on the top of his dorsal fin. He remains near the rock and rarely ventures into the planted areas. He frequently rests on the rock and gravel. Not as free swimming as the rosy loaches.

[Emma Turner]

Hi Wendie,

It's a little difficult to see too much from that pic, I'm afraid. Is this loach the same size or smaller/bigger than the other Rosies?

Emma

[mikev]

It appears that there is some variance in at least the females, I think you mean the appearance similar to the bottom fish below:

[Wendie]

It's about the same size but seems more streamlined in build and not as deep in the body. It's also a greyish color compared to the lighter colored females. It may well be another variation of the female but it just acts completely different. It doesn't swim like the others and seems to swim more like a polka dotted loach wherein it swims in bursts and then rests. It also spends more time sitting on the bottom or on the rock. The others are out and about working on the plants. They are all over the tank. However, this one remains in the same general area near the rock. It is, however, active but just mainly around the rock. I got 8 of the little guys and this is the only different one. I have more coming so perhaps another one will turn up.

I can't get my camera to focus properly as they are so small.

[chris1932]

Frank Greco and I had a conversation about this on Tuesday night and the best I can figure is that it is the sexual dismorphism of this species. I have 6 of them and they are tiny. Half have the closely spaced vertical bars. The other half have a defined grey black horizontal bar. Broken vertical bars are not as pink under any light. I am currious also.

[Wendie]

This is rather curious. This little guy is much more aggressive than the others and quite territorial so far. He/she also swims differently which is a puzzle. The others swim all over rapidly without hesitation while this particular one swims more like a polka dot loach - in spurts. The others are just beginning to show bits of color so I think that my guys are even smaller than Emma's were when they came in. I should have another bunch tomorrow for another tank so I'll see if there's a difference in growth rates since they are all from the same batch.

[Wendie]

Just got another 12 of these little guys. None have the weird markings. They are very small and apparently living in a bare tank doesn't do much for them as they all came in together in the same shipment. Mine have doubled in body depth.

[Graeme Robson]

Interesting!!

[Wendie]

Another fact... although you could see the color differences, they are just now beginning to show signs of becoming red. I think mine came in younger than Emmas.