Orange-Finned Loach

This fish reminds you of famous movie stars who retire to a life of total solitude. So you can proudly tell your guests that your fish is a recluse!

Appearance: Though rather stocky and lacking the typical snakelike body of most loaches, the Orange-finned Loach has a laterally compressed shape and other features that easily identify is as a loach. It has three pairs of barbels. Its back is moderately arched and the belly profile very slightly convex. The front rays of the dorsal fin lie directly above the ventral fins and well in front of the anal fin- a characteristic of most tropical loaches. The caudal peduncle is short but quite high. The general coloration is gray-green to grayish blue and slightly darker on the head. There is a dark marking at the root of the tail but it is usually indistinct. Otherwise, there are no transverse bars or other markings that are usually found in so many of the related species. The caudal fin is bright yellow, and the other fins are grayish yellow.

Aquarium Care: A bit unpredictable (this prevents you from taking it for granted!)this is a hardy but rather shy loach that usually hides away during the day and comes out a night when it burrows for small crustaceans and insect larvae. However, when kept in small numbers, it can become agressive and should be carefully watched when introduced into a tank. It can be kept in an aquarium with a soft substrate and scattered rocks and roots. Since this fish is a vigorous digger, rooted plants are not suitable for this aquarium. However, a few floating plants would provide decoration in the upper parts of the tank. This species has not yet been bred in captivity.

Loaches such as this one utilize their intestines as an accessory respiratory organ. This enables them to live in oxygen-depleted waters. They rise to the surface and gulp a mouthful of air, which passes along the alimentary canal to the hind gut. There the oxygen is extracted by the dense accumulation of capillaries that line this part of the gut; the residue of air is passed out at the anus. However, clean water and aeration are important. A shy, nocturnal species that is most active when kept in a school. The Orange-finned Loach is a highly territorial fish that will aggressively defend its territory against intruders. Only combine with large, robust species.

Food: In the wild, this species feeds almost exclusively on small invertebrates and therefore small live and frozen foods are relished. It will also usually accept processed foods such as flakes, wafers, and sinking pellets.