White belly Oblonga

[mikev]

..does anyone know what this indicates?

Essentially Panda Kuhli colors in P.Oblonga: the body below the lateral line is very light, almost white.

First, I saw one in the tank of newly imported Kuhlis @Frank and thought it may be a X. But today, I noticed that one of mine developed the same colors exactly...no idea when this happened, but the P.Oblonga's were here for more than a year, and all were "normal" before.

The fish does not appear sick, it was pretty fat for the species and was enthusiastically feeding when I saw it (and went back to hiding before I could get the camera).... Don't think this is an indication of being gravid, the white area covers the entire lower body.

Have you seen this before? Is this an old age sign or what?

[Graeme Robson]

Can you see any nasal barbels? It's quite possible that they could be Pangio mariarum. I also purchased some Pangio oblonga around 4 weeks ago, to only find some had nasal barbels with light coloured underneath the lateral line area.

[mikev]

Will take a look, but this guy was Oblonga'ish for at least a year.

Fortunately, he just came out:



The others still have the same color above and below the lateral line.



(two dark spots are the algae on the glass, not on the fish)

....

PS. No, I doubt it is a P. Mariarum:

[Graeme Robson]

I can see some form of nasal tube-ings. Now this is where the fun begins! Steve (The Dark One) suggested that in my picture below it could be Pangio filinaris or Pangio mariarum. We can see some nasal barbels in my picture, but the Pangio oblonga has none as visible. Some of my Pangio's like in my picture below have light body colour below the lateral line. I just need them to come out for capture on camera.....



Remember the Pangio mariarum picture in Fishbase is just one specimen.

[mikev]

I'll see if I can get a better face shot (if/when he cames out again, this does not happen every day), but I don't like Marianum also because of
MaxTL -- I think my fish is almost 3".
Location -- Indian import.

Notice that the light area in your fish is just the belly, mine is exactly from the lateral.

[Graeme Robson]

My picture was just one example of the nasal barbels.

If 100% from India = Pangio pangia.

[shazam26]

Hey, that's how some of my Oblongas are patterned! A white belly halfway down? The others are a solid dark brownish color. Also, the white belly Oblonga has definite whiskers- always poking out of decorations.

[mikev]

My picture was just one example of the nasal barbels.

If 100% from India = Pangio pangia.

OK, I see. Will reconfirm the location with Frank on his white-belly, too late for mine.

[Graeme Robson]

Here's a picture of some wild caught juvenile Pangio pangia. Could be possible.

[mikev]

Quite possible.

But regardless of the exact species, what I wonder about is the light belly condition -- in my case, it is certainly acquired over time.

[sophie]

go here:

http://www.freewebs.com/fishstuff/peculiarpangio.htm

old, undone-anything-to site.
apologies.
the aloides guess was made when I was even more ignorant than I am now.

second picture down.
nasal barbels. though fuzzy.
tadaa!

I suggested mariarum a while ago and was shot down (by LOL, nya nyaaah nyaaahhhh)
and we all came to the conclusion it was probably p pangia.

now, though, its belly has darkened and at least some of the others have white bellies.
so I'm inclined to think that colouring alone is a very indequate id.

head shape and eyes more important.
also barbels, but I'm not killing my fish to count them - though I will happily do so should any die.

[sophie]

actually, if Graeme's photo of the wild-caught p pangia is definitely p pangia, that's not what I've got.
eyes all wrong.

I might be back with p alcoides after all.
or even mariarum

[mikev]

Interesting, and very nice pix (dojo's too).

Yeah, this may be the same effect, and you saying at least some of the others have white bellies implies that this is a come-and-go effect.

Seasonal? -- this would be interesting.

(Their behavior seems to be somewhat seasonal, they are now repeating the last year pattern: from about Nov thru Feb, I'll see very little of kuhlis, then they'll reappear again.)

(Just to make sure: I was not trying to ID my fish at all, especially by coloring, I know this is hopeless.... I was only interested in white belly significance).

[Graeme Robson]

Just to make sure: I was not trying to ID my fish at all, especially by coloring, I know this is hopeless.... I was only interested in white belly significance).

Charming!

Next time i'll indicate less.

[sophie]

possibly seasonal, I've wondered that before; though as we keep our aquaria at constant temps with a relatively similar "day" length, I also am not surprised that anything which may be seasonal isn't reliably so in aquaria.

belly colour definitely comes and goes, though.