Getting Cut by a Loach

[Blue_Ram]

My friend told me that he got cut on the finger by one of his skunk loaches. He said they have this blade like thing below their eyes. Is this true? and Do yoyo loaches have them?

Blue_Ram

[jackiomy]

I know clown loaches have them. They are really cool but can hurt.

[Sploke]

This pic (not mine) exhibits the eye spike pretty clearly. Apparently they are fairly sharp.

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/photos/c/chromobotia_macracanthus_02.jpg/image_medium

[jackiomy]

That is one of the reasons you have to be really careful catching them. That spike will get caught in the net and hurt the fish.

[Fish-Addict]

That is one of the reasons you have to be really careful catching them. That spike will get caught in the net and hurt the fish.

And damage the net :( LOL

[thebrandon]

wow that is crazy. Do all loaches have this spike?

[crimsonmoon]

hm. i wonder what purpose that would serve in the wild? being able to grade cheese for foot ball game nachos? LOL

[thebrandon]

that way if a fish eats him, it's sort of like saying "f you" on the way down to the stomach lol

[crimsonmoon]

lol...well it kinda seems pointless unless its enough for the thing doing the chomping to spit them back out. and clown loaches get pretty big too lol

[krytan]

It's to stop other fish attacking their eyes.

[Sploke]

I believe its more used for fighting among other fish.

yeah what he said ^ lol

[crimsonmoon]

lol thanks :D haha

[Blue_Ram]

What about yoyo loaches? Do they got them?

[Bnoble]

yes they do, its like a small spine under there eye! hope your friend is ok!

[Lupin]

wow that is crazy. Do all loaches have this spike?
No. Only those of botiine genus do.

[Lupin]

It's to stop other fish attacking their eyes.
I've never heard of this. The bifid spines are there for skirmishes and defensive mechanism but solely the eyes?


What about yoyo loaches? Do they got them?
All botiine loaches have them.;) Sinibotia, Parabotia, Syncrossus, Yasuhikotakia...you name it.

[Blue_Ram]

OK, Thanks!

[Michi]

I always see my yo yo loach poking my tiger barbs with his spikes when they chase eachother. It's pretty funny how they do that...which seems aggressive, but then they will all hang out together peacefully when they are done.

[fishorama]

Pangios used to be in the genus Acanthophthalmus, thorn eye, so kuhlis must have them too. I've only ever seen a loach spine out once, a clown was doing what looked like a stretch, no other fish near it.

[Lupin]

There has to be a reason for the change in taxonomy. I tried to observe my kuhlis closely before and even handled them to examine if there are spines as alleged by a few sources but I have never really seen a single spine. I don't think they have spines. As far as I know, only the botiine loaches have.

[fishorama]

I've read all species of Cobitidae have the eye spine, including pangios & dojos but not the hillstreams (Balitoridae). It's hidden behind a flap of skin.

[H3D]

I've read all species of Cobitidae have the eye spine, including pangios & dojos but not the hillstreams (Balitoridae). It's hidden behind a flap of skin.

Agreed. It's not just botiine loaches that have the spines under their eyes. It is a trait that many of the Cobitidae family members have including kuhli loaches.

[lovemybarbs]

Will they use it on other fish?

[H3D]

Will they use it on other fish?

If they feel threatened or are trying to establish dominance yes they will.

[lovemybarbs]

That may explain a few things. :headshake2:

[H3D]

No. Only those of botiine genus do.

I would also like to point out that there was a never a botiine genus. Bottine is just a word that has been used to describe loaches that used to be classified in the botia genus.

[fishorama]

I think it's a sub-family, but I also see botiid used the same or at least a similar way. A loach by any name...:hearts:

[evelyn80]

i believe some corydoras species also have them

[H3D]

I think it's a sub-family, but I also see botiid used the same or at least a similar way. A loach by any name...:hearts:

Botia is a genus.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botia

[fishorama]

Yes Haytch the genus botia is included in the family (super family?) botiine & sub-family botiid, but lets not split suborbital spines over it ;)

evelyn, corydoras (& many catfish) have pectoral & dorsal spines, like thickened first fin rays, loaches have a spine under the eye called subocular or suborbital spines that sit in a groove & can be extended by the fish by a hinge-like mechanism.

Corys use their's less offensively AFAIK, more defensively to keep from being swallowed but plecos do an offensive side to side thrashing motion. Loaches can use their's more in fights with each other even if it's for just visual posturing (don't make me cut you :grinno:).

[H3D]

Yes Haytch the genus botia is included in the family (super family?) botiine & sub-family botiid, but lets not split suborbital spines over it ;)

There is NO family or super family called Bottine or sub family called botiid! :duh: I already explained why people use these words.

As already mentioned several times in this thread there family (super family) is called Cobitidae.

[jpappy789]

There is a subfamily Botiinae...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botiinae

[H3D]

There is a subfamily Botiinae...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botiinae

Correct. ;) Also know as botiidae, not botiid.

[fishorama]

You're right, botiinae & botiidae, I should have looked up those endings :silly:. Botiid is used for botia like loaches & is a more correct term than botiine

[cam191919]

boating?

[fishorama]

Not enough vowels, maybe boatiiaingae

[H3D]

:rofl:

[jpappy789]

Not enough vowels, maybe boatiiaingae

:lol:

[jet_mek]

Back to the spikes, does any body know at what age they start to develop and are they found on both sexes? I have a pair of clowns that I've had for almost ten years and as far as I can remember(I'm at work)I've never noticed either of them to have spikes.

[fishorama]

The spines are "always" there, they don't develop as part of sexual maturation & both sexes have them. Like I said earlier, I have kept loaches for years & have only seen them once. They sit inside a groove under the eye & are not visible unless extended.

[H3D]

I've seem the eye spines many times. Net one of your clown loaches I bet you see them then. ;) Last time I moved my loaches one put a quarter size hole in my net.

[fishorama]

You must have P*d them off H :evil_lol:, none of my nets have holes...

[Dangerdoll]

wow, learn something new every day. I had no idea loaches had these!