# Loach Identification?



## Mgray (Apr 25, 2011)

New to fish keeping need to know what type of loach what type of tetras and if a golden or gold barb? Pictures on album

Any advice soul be good. 
Michelle


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## Mgray (Apr 25, 2011)

Mgray said:


> New to fish keeping need to know what type of loach what type of tetras and if a golden or gold barb? Pictures on album
> 
> Any advice soul be good.
> Michelle


Sorry bit rubbish at posting can you go to my profile and I set up a new phot album named help to identify myfish. Thanks then you can see them all. My main album is not much help.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

The "different" tetra is a Columbian Tetra. More info in the profile, click on the shaded name.

With more photos of the loach than the one in the other thread, I would offer _Acanthocobitis botia_ as one possible identification. More info here:
Zipper Loach (Acanthocobitis botia) — Loaches Online

There are other closely-patterned species on that site, you may want to check them. It is usually easier to search when you have the live fish.

Byron.


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## Mgray (Apr 25, 2011)

Hello looking for opinions

We purchased 6 loaches under the shop name thermal loach and i am not convinced as they look nothing like them. When we got them they were very underfed so its taken a while to be able to see what they really look like they were totally different. any how i was looking and as they dont look like a thermalis loach to me I though maybe they could be a nemacheilus platiceps?

























any ideas? on a side note they change colour really easily at will sometimes after food or before, sometimes when we turn the lights on or off and they change back as quickly as you can see in the pictures they are the same fish but white and really dark almost black taken about 10 mins apart.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

I can't say with certainty which species. What size are these? I assume juvies?? Loaches "graying" out at will is very common and typical of loaches, just in case you didn't know. I remember when mine first did this and my first thought was that they were very ill. I even went so far as trying to fish them out of the tank so I could "treat" them. Who knows what I was thinking as what the heck would I treat them with, since I had no idea what it was, lol. Whatever species your loaches are cute, very cute.


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

Could they be some sort of botia species?


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Definitely a botia (Botia being the genus of freshwater fish in the Loach family) but which one?? It looks similar to a number of different species, to me anyway.


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

aunt kymmie said:


> Definitely a botia (Botia being the genus of freshwater fish in the Loach family) but which one?? It looks similar to a number of different species, to me anyway.


LOL yeah, that's as far as I can get on the identification is just the genus.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

LasColinasCichlids said:


> LOL yeah, that's as far as I can get on the identification is just the genus.


LOL, me too. Now I'm really interested and want to know which species. I bet Lupin or Byron knows, so where are they???


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## Mgray (Apr 25, 2011)

aunt kymmie said:


> I can't say with certainty which species. What size are these? I assume juvies?? Loaches "graying" out at will is very common and typical of loaches, just in case you didn't know. I remember when mine first did this and my first thought was that they were very ill. I even went so far as trying to fish them out of the tank so I could "treat" them. Who knows what I was thinking as what the heck would I treat them with, since I had no idea what it was, lol. Whatever species your loaches are cute, very cute.


Thank you for your post. They are about 5 cm at the moment. Yes they are juvies they were really thin and even bent in places as they were so thin when we got them. I did not know they could all do it no. I am really new to loaches so thanks. Hee hee I would have done the same only they all did it at different times and went back at different times so I never thought it was a problem as by the time I thought it might be they had changed back. More than I change my clothes hee hee. Thanks again

Byron was so kind as to speak with me about it already and suggested zipper loach Acanthrocobitis Botia. They do look similar to this but not exact. He suggested it is easier with the fish infront of you but I am not finding it easy at all. Hee hee I was wondering the two main things that look different are the red ting to the whiskers and nose and the back markings over the head and eyes and theblack spot on dorsal fin.


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## Lupin (Aug 2, 2006)

That's the trouble with loaches. I was wondering if you could get pics of them in full colors. Need darker substrate and background to accomplish that. The _Nemacheilus, Acanthocobitis_ and _Schistura_ are so closely alike.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

As I suggested in the other thread, it is worth your time to browse through the photos on the loach site I linked. Lupin is quite correct, there are many "similar" looking loaches, and you need to examine little things which are best seen on the live fish in your tank. Markings on the fins for example, or any colour hues, the type of patterning, and so forth. The general drawings on that site are quite good to narrow down the options.

By the way, asking the same issue in three different threads in three different sections of the forum is not a good idea, as you will get some members here and some members there. With one thread, everyone will see everyone else's responses, and this is usually better for a more complete answer. Sometimes we all jig each other's thinking.

Byron.


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## Mgray (Apr 25, 2011)

Byron said:


> As I suggested in the other thread, it is worth your time to browse through the photos on the loach site I linked. Lupin is quite correct, there are many "similar" looking loaches, and you need to examine little things which are best seen on the live fish in your tank. Markings on the fins for example, or any colour hues, the type of patterning, and so forth. The general drawings on that site are quite good to narrow down the options.
> 
> By the way, asking the same issue in three different threads in three different sections of the forum is not a good idea, as you will get some members here and some members there. With one thread, everyone will see everyone else's responses, and this is usually better for a more complete answer. Sometimes we all jig each other's thinking.
> 
> Byron.


i am sorry byron this was from my lack of understanding about how to post add to an already going thread and uplaod photos to a thread rather than a wish to post in multi places(which shows my ignorance as i thought i had posted to the same place anyhow)? I use a smart phone to search online and if you could as a moderator delete everything but this post thread for me i can just use this. I did not mean to rub anyone up the wrong way i only found the site a few days ago. 

Also looking myself without help with the subtle things was what i needed help with i am out of my depth with this maybe i should just be content they are happy and healthy i feel a little stupid now.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Mgray said:


> i am sorry byron this was from my lack of understanding about how to post add to an already going thread and uplaod photos to a thread rather than a wish to post in multi places(which shows my ignorance as i thought i had posted to the same place anyhow)? I use a smart phone to search online and if you could as a moderator delete everything but this post thread for me i can just use this. I did not mean to rub anyone up the wrong way i only found the site a few days ago.
> 
> Also looking myself without help with the subtle things was what i needed help with i am out of my depth with this maybe i should just be content they are happy and healthy i feel a little stupid now.


There is no reason to feel stupid. I have trouble identifying lots of fish. I have a group of pencilfish that arrived mixed in with rummynose tetra and after several months I am still not sure which of 2 possible species they are. If you could narrow it down to a few possibilities with the help of that loach site, then post your results, I would be happy to review your photos within the narrower field and see what I can come up with.

On the site, it takes all of us some trial and error so don't let that bother you. There is a section on using the forum somewhere [see, I don't know that], you may find some answers to questions there. I'll merge the loach thread for you, it takes a moderator to do that.

Glad you found us. Never be afraid of asking questions, all of us here are happy to help where we can. And we all had similar questions and mustn't forget that.;-)

Byron.

Edit: OK, merged the two loach threads. Left the other alone as it had other issues too. B.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Here's the subforum that may be of some helpin using the forum. Do not feel bad, Mgray. We've ALL been there!!

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/how-use-tropicalfishkeeping-com/


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## Bens-fish-advice (Jan 8, 2022)

Those are thermal loaches. Sorry I couldn't find any information about them.


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## Bens-fish-advice (Jan 8, 2022)

Wait a minute they look like the barred loach, which still I know nothing about.


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