It's the pits!

[Emma Turner]

When the River Tank lights switched on at lunchtime, I was surprised to see quite a large deep pit had been dug at the right hand side of the tank near to the front. It had been dug partially underneath an elongate cobblestone and had exposed a large amount of the manifold. It is very hard to get across the depth of the pit with these pictures, but here it is:







Having never seen such deep and extensive diggings in the tank, I had to wonder which fish/fishes had done this. After about an hour, my question was answered: it was the Schistura balteata.....





This fish was actively pushing sand out of this burrow with it's pectoral fins and chin area, turning round gathering up more, and continually moving the sand out. After a while it just sat there looking very pleased with itself. I've had these 2 Schistura for some years now, and have never seen them dig like this before. Usually they just laze about on top of cobbles, bogwood, and sometimes even on top of the backs of Sewellia lineolata!

Emma

[Graeme Robson]

Cool pictures, Emma. The last posing pictures remind me of my Aborichthys elongatus looking quite content. Do you have male and female Schistura balteata? I forget.

[wasserscheu]

Hi,

... what kind of nice dark sand is this?

Abor. El. also digs a comfy place below each bigger stone, he does it with the tail using it like a whip, goes very fast and efficient, smaller corners he sucks sand into mouth and spits in on clowns passing by...
In german we call this kind of loaches "stonebiters", he´s moving stones with the mouth too, but that takes time, but keeps him busy...

I´m looking for such kind of sand that you show, with rounded edges...

Wolfram

[Jeremy]

Cool maybe soon another mystery banded fry? maybe.... I read some where that some of the asian farms are getting some spawns with there botias digging holes deep into the mud, not sure how factual the report is but a thought.

[Emma Turner]

Do you have male and female Schistura balteata? I forget.

I'm not sure, but this 'pair' killed off all the others in the tank a few years ago, leaving just them. At the time I presumed that they might have been a pair, but now I'm so sure as both fish are quite large and stocky.

Wolfram, I can't remember exactly what type of sand this is. I think it may just be known as black silica sand, but I will check and let you know.

Emma

[Martin Thoene]

Interesting that they've suddenly started this behaviour. It must be the hormones in the water

Martin.

[Emma Turner]

Heheh! That's exactly what I was thinking, Martin.