Edit Schistura kodaguensis

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Name

Scientific name

Schistura kodaguensis

Described by

Authority Menon, Year 1987, Bracketed

Family

Nemacheilidae

Common names

Not recorded

Photograph credits

All 3 credited

Summary

Schistura kodaguensis is a small nemacheilid loach from the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India, confirmed only from a tributary of the Cauve…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

36mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 60 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm, Water movement High: fast-flowing river or riffle

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 20–25°C, pH 6–7.5

Hardness

2–12dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Not recorded

Community suitability

Not for a community

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

India, Cauvery, Kaveri

Writing

Etymology

Schistura: from the Greek schizein, meaning 'to divide', and oura, meaning 'tail', in reference to the caudal-fin shape of many species. kodaguensis: named for…

Distribution

Type locality is 'Kotu Hola, near Merkara, Karnataka, India' which corresponds to Kootu Hole near Madikeri in Coorg District within the Western Ghats mountains…

Habitat

Inhabits a shallow streams with gravel substrate.

Aquarium size

An aquarium with base dimensions of 60 ∗ 30 cm or equivalent should be the smallest considered.

Maintenance

Should not prove difficult to maintain under the correct conditions. We strongly recommend keeping it in a tank designed to resemble a flowing stream or river …

Water conditions

Not written yet

Diet

Schistura species are omnivorous although the bulk of their diet consists of small insects, worms, crustaceans, and other zooplankton with only relatively smal…

Behaviour and compatibility

Fishes which inhabit similar biotopes in nature constitute the best options, especially small, peaceful cyprinids since the presence of one or two schools in t…

Sexual dimorphism

Nuptial males appear to be significantly more colourful than females. Sexually mature females should be deeper-bodied than males, particularly when gravid.

Reproduction

Unrecorded.

Notes

This species is not a well-known aquarium fish but is maintained by a number of Indian enthusiasts. It can be told apart from related species by the following …

This species is not a well-known aquarium fish but is maintained by a number of Indian enthusiasts.

It can be told apart from related species by the following combination of characters as per Sreekantha et al. (2006): pectoral-fin rays 10; absence of black spot at base of dorsal-fin; presence of rows of spots on caudal-fin; lateral line incomplete; caudal-fin slightly emarginate; 11-14 vertical bars on the body.

S. nilgiriensis, also native to the Western Ghats, is very similar-looking but possesses a black spot at the base of the dorsal-fin and lacks spots in the caudal-fin.

Schistura is the most species-rich genus among nemacheilid loaches with some 190 members and it continues to grow with over 100 having been described since 1990. It may represent a polyphyletic lineage and is often arranged into a number of loosely-defined species 'groups', some of which are quite dissimilar to one another.

Among these are an assemblage in which some or all of the body bars are vertically split and another which exhibit reductions in body size (adult size <50 mm2.0 in SL), the number of pelvic and pectoral-fin rays and often the number of caudal-fin rays and lateral line length, for example.

Some species, such as S. geisleri, also appear to be unrelated to any of the others.

Most inhabit flowing streams or areas close to waterfalls where there naturally exist high concentrations of dissolved oxygen, and a handful are troglobytic, i.e., cave-dwelling, in existence. The latter have reduced pigmentation and are completely blind in many cases.

Schistura spp. are distinguished from other nemacheilids by a combination of morphological characters which include: a moderately arched mouth which is 2-3.5 times wider than it is long; a median 'interruption' in the lower lip which does not form two lateral triangular pads and can vary from smooth to furrowed in texture; diverse colour pattern but usually dark with relatively regular bars; usually a black bar at the caudal-fin base which can be broken into two spots or smaller bars; one or two black markings along the base of the dorsal-fin; lack of acuminate scales on the caudal peduncle; caudal-fin shape variable from truncate to forked but usually emarginate; presence or absence of a median notch in the lower jaw; clear sexual dimorphism in some species.

The family Nemacheilidae is widely-distributed across most of Eurasia with the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia and China representing particular centres of species diversity.

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References

5 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References