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Loaches
/ Botiinae / Red-finned Loach
Red-finned Loach, Le Conte's Loach
Botia lecontei | Pictures
Synonyms: None
Physical description: A moderately elongated fish with a flat belly profile.
The caudal fin is deeply forked and
the caudal penuncle is thick.
The body is light blue to green-blue with a greenish iridescence.
The back is darker, while the belly
is lighter.
Transverse bands on the rear part of the body may or may not be visible, although the caudal penuncle
is clearly marked with a black spot.
The fins are blood red in color.
Size/Length: To 6" (15 cm)
Similar species: Sun Loach ( B.
eos), Orange-finned Loach (
B. modesta), Red-finned Loach (
B. rubipinnis
)
Habitat: Rivers and streams in Southeast Asia; Cambodia and Laos.
S: bottom
Aquarium: A tank measuring 40" (101 cm) with a volume of 45-55 gallons (170-209 L) is sufficient.
Follow
suggestions for B. helodes
.
Water chemistry: pH 5.8-7 (6.5), 1-8 dH (4), 75-82°F (24-28°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful crepuscular and nocturnal species which is suitable for a community tank.
This
species prefers to be kept in groups of five to eight.
Suggested companions: Barbus,
Colisa, Trichogaster, Corydoras, tetras, Headstanders, Silver Dollars,
Hatchetfish, Danios, Loricarids.
FOOD: Live; insect larvae, worms, crustaceans; pellets
SEX: Unknown
Breeding techniques: Unknown
Breeding potential: 10.
No reports of captive spawning.
Remarks: This species requires frequent partial water changes (weekly).
Difficulty of care: 5.
This peaceful species requires well maintained water and a diet which includes live foods.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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