Re: Request to add new species
Posted: Fri Feb 07, 2014 1:28 am
From Loaches Online - http://www.loaches.com/
1)
Scientific name: Botia histrionica (Blyth, 1860)
Common name: Burmese Loach, Golden Zebra Loach, Silver Striped Loach
Synonyms: None
Distribution: India, Burma: the Salween basin. May occur in western Thailand
Sexual dimorphism: unknown
Maximum size: 5 inches (13 cm)
Similar to: Immature specimens can be confused with B. kubotai, B. almorhae, and B. rostrata. With maturity, each species takes on more distinctive colour and patterning.
Care: This is a relatively placid member of the genus Botia. Gregarious and curious, they are well suited to the community tank, but should be kept in numbers of 3 to 5 or more. Unlike a number of other Botia species, B. histrionica will be seen more regularly in the daytime if given ample hiding spots, a large aquarium (minimum 60 gallons, but larger tanks will see more activity), and the clean water that suits other Botiine loaches.
Feeding: Readily accepts quality flake food, sinking wafers, fresh vegetables, brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc... Not a finicky eater.
Water parameters: pH 6.5 - 7.2; Hardness: softer water. Max dh:
Temperature: 77-82F (25-28C)
Breeding: Not known to breed in the aquarium. Even cases of females becoming gravid are very rare.
2)
Scientific name: Lepidocephalicthys sp (possibly a variant of L guntea)
Common name: Panther Loach or Platinum Line Loach
Synonyms: Cobitis guntea, Lepidocephalus guntea
Distribution: Pakistan, Northern India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand.
Sexual Dimorphism: None reported.
Maximum size: Suggested reports of 3 Inches (8 cm)
Similar to: Many Lepidocephalicthys species.
Care: Lepidocephalichthys cf guntea is a peaceful loach that likes lots of hiding places with soft substrate. This species can be a active burrower. Sand substrate will be best to protect their delicate skin. Best kept in groups. Three fish is the recommend minimum that should be kept together. At times they like each other's company when sheltering under plants and bogwood. At other times they prefer to be left alone while they burrow under the substrate.
Feeding: Easily fed. Accepts good quality flake, sinking pellets, thawed frozen Bloodworm,Brine Shrimp.
Water parameters: pH: 6.5 -7.5. Hardness: Medium Soft to Medium. Max dh:5
Temperature: 72ºF to 79ºF (22-26°C)
Breeding: None reported.
3)
Scientific name: Acantopsis choirorhynchus
Common name: Horse Faced/Long Nosed Loach.
Synonyms: A. biaculeata, A. choerorhynchus, A. dialuzona, A. dialyzona, A. diazona
Distribution: Southeast Asia: Borneo, Burma (Myanmar), Java, Malaysia, Sumatra, Thailand, Vietnam.
Sexual Dimorphism: Females are generally larger with a larger abdominal area. Females may also have a more reddish color, with the males showing more silver/grey - in mature specimens.
Maximum size: 8 Inches (20cm)
Similar to: Acantopsis octoactinotos and other Acantopsis species
Care: This species is an active burrower when at rest and escaping from the company of others. This species also tends to search for buried foods. The aquarium substrate MUST be fine-grained and smooth round-edged. Preferable is sand. It should also be deep enough to allow larger specimens sufficient space to bury themselves. Plants can be uprooted as a result of these species burrowing activities. When juvenile, they are more visible. As they mature these loaches become more crespuscular/nocturnal.
Feeding: Most foods accepted. Commercial sinking formulations and bottom-dwelling live-foods. Frozen foods such as Bloodworms and/or brine shrimp. These loaches often filter foods through their gills when kept in a aquarium with sand as a substrate.
Water parameters: Ph: 6-7 (6.5) Hardness: Max dh: 1-12
Temperature: 77-84°F (25-29°C)
Breeding: Not known in Aquarium. Females may become gravid, but no accounts of successful breeding are on record.
4) Scientific Name: Gastromyzon ctenocephalus (Roberts, 1982)
Common name: Spiney-headed hillstream loach.
Synonyms: None.
Distribution: Sarawak, Borneo.
Sexual Dimorphism: Females generally plumper all over than males.
Maximum size: 2 inches
Similar to: Gastromyzon scitulus
Care: Inhabit fast flowing streams over boulders. Aquarium must duplicate these conditions as fish have very high oxygen requirements.
With all Gastromyzon species, care is broadly the same. All need excellent water-flow and aeration, numerous rocky hiding places and smooth pebbles and boulders to graze over. Lighting should be bright to encourage algal growth in the aquarium. Plants are not necessary as the fish do not normally encounter them in the wild, but they will help with water-quality. Suitable plants for high-flow environments are Anubias and Microsoreum. These will grow on rockwork or driftwood.
Feeding: Good quality flake, sinking pellets, algae wafers, thawed frozen Bloodworm, Mysis Shrimp, blanched Spinach, Kale, natural algae an advantage.
Water parameters: pH:7.0-8.0.
1)
Scientific name: Botia histrionica (Blyth, 1860)
Common name: Burmese Loach, Golden Zebra Loach, Silver Striped Loach
Synonyms: None
Distribution: India, Burma: the Salween basin. May occur in western Thailand
Sexual dimorphism: unknown
Maximum size: 5 inches (13 cm)
Similar to: Immature specimens can be confused with B. kubotai, B. almorhae, and B. rostrata. With maturity, each species takes on more distinctive colour and patterning.
Care: This is a relatively placid member of the genus Botia. Gregarious and curious, they are well suited to the community tank, but should be kept in numbers of 3 to 5 or more. Unlike a number of other Botia species, B. histrionica will be seen more regularly in the daytime if given ample hiding spots, a large aquarium (minimum 60 gallons, but larger tanks will see more activity), and the clean water that suits other Botiine loaches.
Feeding: Readily accepts quality flake food, sinking wafers, fresh vegetables, brine shrimp, bloodworms, etc... Not a finicky eater.
Water parameters: pH 6.5 - 7.2; Hardness: softer water. Max dh:
Temperature: 77-82F (25-28C)
Breeding: Not known to breed in the aquarium. Even cases of females becoming gravid are very rare.
2)
Scientific name: Lepidocephalicthys sp (possibly a variant of L guntea)
Common name: Panther Loach or Platinum Line Loach
Synonyms: Cobitis guntea, Lepidocephalus guntea
Distribution: Pakistan, Northern India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand.
Sexual Dimorphism: None reported.
Maximum size: Suggested reports of 3 Inches (8 cm)
Similar to: Many Lepidocephalicthys species.
Care: Lepidocephalichthys cf guntea is a peaceful loach that likes lots of hiding places with soft substrate. This species can be a active burrower. Sand substrate will be best to protect their delicate skin. Best kept in groups. Three fish is the recommend minimum that should be kept together. At times they like each other's company when sheltering under plants and bogwood. At other times they prefer to be left alone while they burrow under the substrate.
Feeding: Easily fed. Accepts good quality flake, sinking pellets, thawed frozen Bloodworm,Brine Shrimp.
Water parameters: pH: 6.5 -7.5. Hardness: Medium Soft to Medium. Max dh:5
Temperature: 72ºF to 79ºF (22-26°C)
Breeding: None reported.
3)
Scientific name: Acantopsis choirorhynchus
Common name: Horse Faced/Long Nosed Loach.
Synonyms: A. biaculeata, A. choerorhynchus, A. dialuzona, A. dialyzona, A. diazona
Distribution: Southeast Asia: Borneo, Burma (Myanmar), Java, Malaysia, Sumatra, Thailand, Vietnam.
Sexual Dimorphism: Females are generally larger with a larger abdominal area. Females may also have a more reddish color, with the males showing more silver/grey - in mature specimens.
Maximum size: 8 Inches (20cm)
Similar to: Acantopsis octoactinotos and other Acantopsis species
Care: This species is an active burrower when at rest and escaping from the company of others. This species also tends to search for buried foods. The aquarium substrate MUST be fine-grained and smooth round-edged. Preferable is sand. It should also be deep enough to allow larger specimens sufficient space to bury themselves. Plants can be uprooted as a result of these species burrowing activities. When juvenile, they are more visible. As they mature these loaches become more crespuscular/nocturnal.
Feeding: Most foods accepted. Commercial sinking formulations and bottom-dwelling live-foods. Frozen foods such as Bloodworms and/or brine shrimp. These loaches often filter foods through their gills when kept in a aquarium with sand as a substrate.
Water parameters: Ph: 6-7 (6.5) Hardness: Max dh: 1-12
Temperature: 77-84°F (25-29°C)
Breeding: Not known in Aquarium. Females may become gravid, but no accounts of successful breeding are on record.
4) Scientific Name: Gastromyzon ctenocephalus (Roberts, 1982)
Common name: Spiney-headed hillstream loach.
Synonyms: None.
Distribution: Sarawak, Borneo.
Sexual Dimorphism: Females generally plumper all over than males.
Maximum size: 2 inches
Similar to: Gastromyzon scitulus
Care: Inhabit fast flowing streams over boulders. Aquarium must duplicate these conditions as fish have very high oxygen requirements.
With all Gastromyzon species, care is broadly the same. All need excellent water-flow and aeration, numerous rocky hiding places and smooth pebbles and boulders to graze over. Lighting should be bright to encourage algal growth in the aquarium. Plants are not necessary as the fish do not normally encounter them in the wild, but they will help with water-quality. Suitable plants for high-flow environments are Anubias and Microsoreum. These will grow on rockwork or driftwood.
Feeding: Good quality flake, sinking pellets, algae wafers, thawed frozen Bloodworm, Mysis Shrimp, blanched Spinach, Kale, natural algae an advantage.
Water parameters: pH:7.0-8.0.