My New Botia Sidthimunki

[Bloo]

I've been eyeing these chaps up for a while now, and finally decided to get 4 at Wholesale Tropicals (in London). Not exactly cheap at £8 each , but "only" £24 for 4, which is not bad.

They are incredibly hyper little things though (hence the mostly blurred pics)! They zoom around almost non stop and seem to adore their own reflection. They're only approx 1.5" each at the mo, so hope they soon grow big and

Sorry about the wild reflection in this pic - there's only one real loach here !

 

[Barracuda518]

Very nice. I want to get some of them too, but Im pretty sure they will be really expensive then what you payed around here.

 

[mikev]

Congradulations!!! They look great!!!

 

[Mad Duff]

They are gorgeous, I am soooooo jealous

 

[Bloo]

Thanks everyone

Mad Duff, do you have some too ? (or do you just admire them from afar?)

 

[catxx]

so cute! how big do they grow?

 

[Bloo]

Thanks Cat

Up to approx 5" I believe. However..... Wholesale Tropicals said there are two "kinds" - one that grows to 5" and one that remains at around 1.5"; and that they didn't know which it was I bought Not sure where they get that info from, but I'm sure time will tell.

I see they are also on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species I wonder what exactly that means ?

 

[Silverlady]

Hi Bloozoo,I have two of these,they are great aren't they .I got mine to get rid of snail's ,they do eat some,but i don't think they will ever clear the tank completely.I must admit i wasn't that keen on them to start with ,(all that zooooming around) LOL .But they have grown on me ,and now i love them. Mine are about two inches long and don't seem to have grown any larger since I bought them,about four months ago.

 

[Mad Duff]

Hi Bloozoo2, no I haven't got any at the moment. I had 4 a few years back when I was showing, in fact I got a best in show and came second in supreme champion class with one of them.

I am waiting till my 44 gallon is sorted and then I will be getting them.

By the way I have never heard of a Botia Sidthimunki getting much over 6cm, If a 5" Sidthimunki existed I would like to see it

 

[The-Wolf]

Thanks Cat

Up to approx 5" I believe. However..... Wholesale Tropicals said there are two "kinds" - one that grows to 5" and one that remains at around 1.5"; and that they didn't know which it was I bought Not sure where they get that info from, but I'm sure time will tell.

I see they are also on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species I wonder what exactly that means ?

I doubt they get that big I have researched this recently for my loach size list
and found that B.sidthimunki max out at 5.5 cm/2.17 ".
I also found that there is another very similar loach that is often sold as Dwarf loaches but is called
a Backline loach Botia nigrolineata nad they reach 8 cm/3.15 "

yes they are on the red list classed as CR A1c
CR = Crittically Endangered
A = Population reduction in the form of either of the following:
1 = An observed, estimated, inferred or suspected reduction of at least 80% over the last 10 years or three generations, whichever is the longer, based on (and specifying) any of the following:
c= a decline in area of occupancy, extent of occurrence and/or quality of habitat.

basically overfished in the wild, most shop stocks are now farmed, which (in this case) pushes up the price.

 

[Bloo]

Hi Bloozoo2, no I haven't got any at the moment. I had 4 a few years back when I was showing, in fact I got a best in show and came second in supreme champion class with one of them.

I am waiting till my 44 gallon is sorted and then I will be getting them.

By the way I have never heard of a Botia Sidthimunki getting much over 6cm, If a 5" Sidthimunki existed I would like to see it

Wow that's fantastic . Perhaps they were telling me porkies about 2 different sizes

basically overfished in the wild, most shop stocks are now farmed, which (in this case) pushes up the price.

Thanks for that info yes, he said the came somewhere from Eastern Europe where they are bred.
Really don't know what he meant about the sizing
Perhaps he was confused ? lol