My Khuli Loach Has Lost Its Stripes

[Gazoo]

Has anyone ever heard of a khuli loach losing its stripes? For some reason ~6 months ago, one out of the four turned to a solid colored body. It eats and socializes like the other loaches.

My water stats are consistently:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5-10

Any ideas?


edit: added topic description

 

[Gazoo]

bump

 

[mikev]

Yes, it does happen.

I have one that lost stripes every few months, then they reassembled in a different pattern (his stripes are jugged). Apparently, this is a taxing experience, someone else who had a similar loach lost it during one of the changes.
The other possibility is of course that your fish is simply ill or weak.

Possibly more can be said if you post a photo.

 

[Gazoo]

Thanks for the reply MikeV. The first picture is from about a year ago and the second is one I just took.

 

[mikev]

It is not one of the things I've seen before.

Are you absolutely sure this is the same fish? The black loach on the new photo looks awfully like p.oblonga.

 

[Gazoo]

Are you absolutely sure this is the same fish?

Yep, without a doubt. I keep a log for my tanks and make updates whenever I add or remove dead fish. Back in 1/23/09 I added two Khulis to the tank that already had two. Nothing else changed.

I've got a mutant.

 

[mikev]

Well, all I can suggest that if the fish starts changing the pattern again (and it might -- mine did a few cycles) document this by taking photos every few days. This is indeed unusual.

 

[Flying-Minnow]

Hey.

I've just googled this, too see if I could get any answers.

How old is the coolie loach? Because apparently they can loose their colour as they get older.
I'm not sure if this is true though?

Is it like this all the time? Because apparently fish colours fade when they sleep, and when you switch the light on, it could be that it's just woken up or was woken up.... I may be wrong there.

Or it mite be ill.

I was wondering, could that happen around breeding time? Because I know that some fish change colour. I can't rember what breed, but it's a marine. Maby marine are different from tropical... im not sure.

if this doesnt help, sorry.

 

[Gazoo]

How old is the coolie loach? Because apparently they can loose their colour as they get older.
I'm not sure if this is true though?

It was either added on March '06, March '08 or October '08. (I keep a fish tank log)

Is it like this all the time? Because apparently fish colours fade when they sleep, and when you switch the light on, it could be that it's just woken up or was woken up.... I may be wrong there.

It's been like this for about 6 months and it's color is constant.

Or it mite be ill.

Maybe?? But it behaves just like the others and shows no signs of stress.

I was wondering, could that happen around breeding time? Because I know that some fish change colour. I can't rember what breed, but it's a marine. Maby marine are different from tropical... im not sure.

if this doesnt help, sorry.

Thanks for the time Flying-Minnow. It's appreciated.

 

[mikev]

Hope you are still around.

Funny enough, it appears that i have one like this too. In my case, the stripes are not gone completely, the 1st and the last are still barely visible. The fish was me for 5+ years, and I have no idea just when this happened... this group of kuhlis live in a 125g tank and I don't see much of them. Unfortunately I did not have camera on hand when I saw this fish, but it appears to be a healthy older male.... If I can get a good snap, I'll post it.

My feeling now is that this is likely a normal process, possibly specific to some subspecies/locale.

 

[3l3ctric]

I've never seen this before- I currently have two p.kuhlii and two p.oblonga. Your brown one REALLY REALLY looks like p.oblonga to me (as someone else mentioned). It looks like he didn't even lose his yellow and turn black, he looks to have completely turned brown.

I've had one p.oblonga have a belly that lightened slightly over time. I've also seen my p.kuhlii's colors fade from stress, but he actually looks more pale to white, definitely not brown. My p.kuhliis are at least 5 years old now... actually maybe over 6.. I can't remember exactly when I bought them, and I have never seen this.

That being said, now you have some variety! As long as he seems happy and healthy, then no harm there. I still think this is very strange though.

 

[lilfishie]

very strange indeed, how big are you Kuhli's?

i have 8 p.oblonga and each is a different colour from sandy to a very deep black, but all of them have 3-4 stripes on the head area is that normal? i've only had them a few weeks great little things

 

[mikev]

i have around 20 of striped kuhlis (incidentally, all striped kuhlis are p.semicincta or p.myersi, p.kuhlii does not exist in the hobby) and the blackening effect occurred on only one that I can see.

belly color changes in p.oblonga are usually caused by eggs, so the fish is a female.

stripes on p.oblonga heads: this I'd not mind seeing. Could be "panda kuhlis" (google for photos and compare)

 

[3l3ctric]

i have around 20 of striped kuhlis (incidentally, all striped kuhlis are p.semicincta or p.myersi, p.kuhlii does not exist in the hobby) and the blackening effect occurred on only one that I can see.

belly color changes in p.oblonga are usually caused by eggs, so the fish is a female.

I've never heard that p.kuhlii doesn't exist in the hobby. Do you have a reference? I'm not trying to question your knowledge, but I'm genuinely surprised. I did not know this.

Looking around a bit, my guys still seem to most closely resemble p.kuhlii but maybe they could be p.semicinta. Definitely not p.myseri.

My p.oblonga has a paler belly all along his/her underside- I don't think it's eggs.

I couldn't find anything about panda kuhlis?

 

[mikev]

Look around the seriouslyfish site for a discussion of this. Basically there is no export from the place where "true" p.kuhlii is.

personally, I think this is even worse: striped kuhlis are likely several species, and we will not know for a fact until someone does a DNA study of specimens from different locales. Comparisons against web photos of p.kuhlii or p.semicincta are not going to be productive.

p.oblonga usually have lighter bellies, but the color also changes in females depending on the presence of eggs. Likewise striped kuhli bellies tint green when they are full of eggs.

panda kuhli: see here, for example: http/www.loaches.com/species-index/pangio-unknown-1