So I recently bought 2 smaller chain loaches to add to the group. That was about 6 weeks ago. right after adding them they were really shy and quite easy to spot.
Last night staring at the tank I try to count the chain loaches, which is akin to keeping 3 dogs in a bathtub. I should have 9 maybe 10 if I am lucky. I counted twioce and got 12 the first time and 13 the second time.
So I look for the new guys and can't really spot them.
It was them I realized 4 or 5 small loaches. Way smaller than the rest. I have bred the dwarf chain loaches. There are 2 that are about an inch. And I have never bought one that small. I remember seeing them digging under some rocks a while back and thought it was odd behavior. And the big, I assume females, were not looking as belly rounded.
Well now I know why. I was so excited.
They are hard to tell in the pics as they never stop darting.
This is the spot they dug under the rockwork.
The little blur under the anubius in the centre is one of the smallest loaches.
2 of the smallest loaches, the 2 smaller new loaches and the smallest full grown male, I assume, loach.
Little guy in the front.
The smallest baby loach bottom left. That a small danio for scale.
And a bonus pic. Was at the LFS today and saw the smallest tire track eel I have ever seen. Those are rams in the tank with it.