Tag Archives: Yasuhikotakia

Yasuhikotakia modesta (2)

22. April 2022

One of the most beautiful and largest botias besides the well known and popular Chromobotia macracanthus is the Redtail botia Yasuhikotakia (formerly: Botia) modesta from Southeast Asia. These are gorgeous fish, usually with a very unusual dove blue base coloration that contrasts very nicely with the red fins. But there are also green, yellow-finned variants or lead-gray ones with transparent fins. A very nice mackerel variant we present here: https://www.aquariumglaser.de/en/fish-archives/yasuhikotakia-modesta-2/

The species is distributed in the drainages of the big rivers Mekong, Chao Phraya and Mae Klong, the distribution area includes the countries Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

With a record size of 25 cm, Y. modesta is not a small fish, but sexual maturity occurs much earlier, at 8-10 cm in length. These are also the usual maximum sizes of the animals in nature. However, these loaches can become quite old in the aquarium, much older than in the wild and certainly older than 10 years and then really large animals are possible in large aquariums.

You should always keep all botias in social groups of as many specimens as possible, otherwise it can happen that they let out their social vein on other tank inhabitants and get on their nerves. They will eat any common ornamental fish food and have no special demands on the water chemistry. The water temperature can be between 22 and 28°C, but during the acclimation it is better to choose the upper temperature range, because all botias are somewhat sensitive to the spot disease (Ichthyophtirius), but tolerate medication against it only poorly. Ichthyophtirius does not like high water temperatures.

For our customers: the animals have code 404004 on our stocklist. Please note that we only supply wholesale.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Yasuhikotakia (formerly: Botia) eos

17. June 2020

This beautiful and interesting loach, which can attain a maximum length of about 12 cm, originates from Thailand. This type of loach is said to be sometimes very aggressive. Y. eos is considered as one of the most aggressive species of all. However, in most cases this is a mistake of the keeper. Y. eos is an extremely social animal. As soon as a group has been put in a new tank they animals fight out a hierarchy. These fights are performed by strong pushes with the body and by producing loud clicking sounds. The dominant alpha animal can be recognized by the bright red fins. Inside the social group of these loaches hardly ever serious injuries appear; only the finneage becomes a bit tattered, but this recovers fast.

If this type of loach is kept in only small groups or as individual animals they try to get the social contact from other tankmates. All these loaches (genera Botia, Chromobotia, Sinibotia, Yasuhikotakia) have a razor-sharp, erectible, sickle-shaped thorn under the eye. If that thorn is used against other fish it can produce very serious injuries. So one should keep this type of loach always in larger groups of 8-12 individuals.

For our customers: Y. eos has code 400512 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Lexicon: Yasuhikotakia: Dedication name for the Japanese scientist Yasuhiko Taki. eos: after the Godess of dawn, due to the bright coloration of body and fins.

Text & photos: Frank Schäfer

Yasuhikotakia splendida

8. February 2019

The genus Yasuhikotakia was separated from the genus Botia by Teodor Nalbant in 2002 and currently comprises 10 species. Some of them are important aquarium fish like Y. morleti (older synonym: Botia horae) and Y. modesta

The newest species on the ornamental fish market is Y. splendida, which was described as Botia splendida in 1995. It differs from the very closely related, aquaristically well known species Y. morleti only by its colouration. However, this is very striking, beautiful and makes the species unmistakable.

So far the species is only known from Laos (Xe Pian), but this does not mean that it does not occur in other places. Together with it Y. modesta and Ambastaia sidthimunki were found, the latter a species described from Northern Thaialnd and in the meantime even considered extinct. In nature these loaches inhabit clear running waters with stony bottom.

Not much is known about the behaviour of Y. splendida. However, it is not to be assumed that it deviates substantially from that of the skunk loach; Y. splendida also becomes similarly large with about 10 cm. At present our specimens are 6-8 cm long. Since the fishing areas are far away from the normal routes, there are only a few specimens on the world market and these are very expensive. 

For our customers: the animals have code 405203 on our stocklist. We have very few specimens in stock. Please note that we only supply wholesalers.

Text & Photo: Frank Schäfer

Ambastaia sidthimunki

14. May 2018

From northern Thailand originates the dwarfish Checkerboard Loach formerly known as Botia sidthimunki, then as Yasuhikotakia s. As it is a rather small (6 cm) and very peaceful species, it represents an ideal member for an asiatic community tank. There it can be kept together e.g. with small representatives of the genera Danio, Rasbora and Microrasbora. One should always maintain them in small groups of at least 5 animals, since they estimate the contact to conspecifics. In the group is always movement and such an aquarium never gets boring.

 

The water should not be too hard, and in the aquarium should be some retreat areas (bogwood, coconut bowls, bamboo canes etc.) available. For proper style tanks plants like Cryptocoryns, Javafern and other asiatic plants can be used. However, that can be done also with Echinodorus species and Neon Tetras, the Checkerboard Loaches won´t mind at all. In respect of feeding they are unproblematic; breeding in aquaria did probably not succeed so far. Since they belong in their homeland to the protected species, nowadays all traded A. sidthimunki are pond bred and originate from Thailand or Malaysia.

For our customers: the fish have code 405112 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.

Photo F. Schäfer, Text K. Diehl

Yasuhikotakia modesta

25. September 2017

We received from Thailand this wonderful sport of the Blue Loach (Yasuhikotakia modesta, formerly known as Botia modesta). The species is well known for its variability. Most often the fish are blue with bright red fins, but the body colour can vary from blue over green to blue-grey and the fins can be anything from yellow over orange to deep red, all depending on the population. The tiger pattern a phenomenon that cannot be explained currenty, It appears from time to time, most often in younger specimens (this is the reason why it is often explained as a juvenile pattern), but it can also appear in adult fish.

For our customers: the fish have code 404002 on our stocklist. Please note that we exclusively supply the wholesale trade.