What I meant was that I feel that it strikes me as likely that the fish was caught nearby. There are goonch populations in Indonesia to the south and Thailand to the north. These are the fish that were described as lica by Volz. Its possible the fish was imported, but more likely that it was caught nearby. I agree, all of the populations have a wildly varying color.
Do you have any pictures of Indonesian or spotted Thai exports you'd be willing to share to help further the knowledge base of the hobby to help validate or refute my hypothesis in reference to B. lica?
It could be but as I said, it's unlikely. The shipping point combined with the unusual morphology tells me that no, it is not an Indian.
However, until a revision happens that confirms B. lica is valid, your fish is Bagarius yarrelli.
Is it actually the same thing as the fish in the frigid northern Indian streams? Probably not.
