More than one type of golden zebra loach

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

Searching for images of 'golden zebra loach' turns up several loaches with notably different markings and colors. As examples:

Stock Photo Aquarium Fish Botia Histrionica Images, Illustrations & Vectors (Free) - Bigstock

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File:Botia histrionica.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

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Botia histrionica — Loaches Online

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Botia histrionica – Betta Solutions

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Botia histrionica — Seriously Fish

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Seriously Fish suspects these are either color morphs or more than 1 species. I'm inclined to agree, and also suspect there may be some hybridization (ick!) with the sympatric Burmese loach.

Anyone have any pictures or thoughts?

 

[Deadeye]

I definitely see 2 main variants there.
I remember you commenting on loaches having chameleon like color changing abilities. Could be that.
I’m thinking catch location is the lead reason. Loaches are rather difficult to breed in captivity (at least the ones I know), so hybridization is possible but doesn’t seem like the main factor here.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

I don't think this is very attributable to the color changing ability of loaches - they can change their tone of color, not their pattern. So it could explain the tones of color but not the patterns.

You may have a point on catch location. They're all wild caught from Burma so it may be that the suppliers aren't all going to the same Burmese waterways to get them.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Fishman Dave]

Botia histrionica is one of the loaches well known for changing pattern especially as they grow and mature. Not so much as two or three of the other popular similar loaches. They are also known to have a background colour from white to gold.
If clown loaches can be found with different numbers of stripes or incomplete stripes then I would expect a loach which changes pattern as it matures will come with regional and genetic differences.
Although a couple of interesting variations, I do see colour variations of one species along with older fish.

 

[xenacanth9]

+1