My favourite flavour of jelly: Lophiosilurus apurensis!

[wednesday13]

Thanks for the kind words, folks...I wish my wife appreciated my rambling that much. Mind you, she has to listen to it pretty much 24/7...

wednesday13 , that pic leaves me stunned and speechless...which doesn't happen often. I am not normally a fan of super-oddball designer fish, but...wow!

Are Jelly Cats being bred somewhere? Or is this an ultra-rare one-off found in nature? Is it an actual albino? Can't really tell the eye colour in that pic.

Whatever....incredible fish.

I’d classify it as “Xanthic” mutation… it was wild caught 7-8yrs ago maybe… was available on aquabid for $2,500 from a U.S. seller and went over seas to one of the “big” collectors. There are mayyyybe about 3 different ones ive seen like this over the yrs. Def. Not many. Im a fan of “natural” 1 off mutations. Not a fan of all the “man made/designer” bs either lol… surprisingly i think i prefer the normal colors on this species tho. I think i’ll order one ?… highly regret parting with my last “wet pet” xanthic RTC… Jellys been on my list for many yrs now. Have an empty 650g itell never outgrow. Think its time i “scratch that itch” ??. Miss having a glutton around waiting for me and begging for food like ur 1st pic ?…

 

[jjohnwm]

Quick update on Lumpy. I finally got a good measurement of him; he is now slightly over 17 inches in length, and I suspect his girth is close to that as well. Does that make him spherical?

He continues to eat and grow and entertain. I changed the lighting over his tank recently, to a single point source LED fixture suspended a couple feet over the water surface. This creates the wonderful rippling-water shimmering effect inside the tank, seems to be sufficient illumination for the plant life (a couple potted swords, an ever-increasing clump of Guppy Grass and a burgeoning growth of Duckweed) and has also apparently made it more comfortable for him to be out and about during the day. He still spends at least half his time in his retreat...although he is starting to stick out at both ends!...but now can be found relaxing in the open at various times as well. He is becoming more and more prone to adopt the vertical against-the-wall position, but normally has his tail contacting the bottom and seems to have his buoyancy controlled at a neutral setting; he can maintain this position without any motion whatsoever, merely sliding straight upwards quickly when I pass my hand over the tank, just in case I happen to have food for him. The opaque bracing all around the top of his plywood tank combines with the elevated light source to allow him to keep his beady little eyes in the shade while resting this way.

Massivore and NorthFin pellets continue to form the bulk of his diet, along with the occasional earthworm (not commonly found around here) and some small sunfish, perch and even common carp brought back from fishing trips. These fish spend a few weeks in the deep freeze before being thawed and fed; they are still taken from my hand with an explosive crack at the surface. My wife and my dog both enjoy this show immensely; I can tell that one of them is secretly hoping the fish will grab my fingers, but my jungle-cat-like reflexes have kept me safe so far...that and the fact that I have so far managed to outthink the fish's pea-sized brain, unlike his previous human victim.

A 5 or 6 inch fish is an uncommon treat for him, which he might get once or twice monthly, followed by a fast of several days. Otherwise, he gets a small handful of pellets every other day. It isn't a huge food intake for a fish this size, but he is so inactive compared to a swimmer like a cichlid or arowana that it's still sufficient for him to continue a reasonable rate of growth.

I am continuing my gradual swing towards cool-water fish in an effort to reduce the costs of operating my fishroom. Almost everything is on the potential chopping-block...except for this guy. He is staying, no matter what.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Perhaps it's just me but feeding w/c, deep frozen f/w fish would make me uncomfortable because bacteria (virus too?) are not killed by freezing. Since we feed marine fish and the pathogen cultures significantly differ between marine and f/w, it gives me some peace of mind, perhaps falsely, I've never looked in depth. I did read that pathogen transference are rare between salt water and f/w.

When I used to catch f/w fish, crayfish, etc. on my angling trips, I boiled them before feeding but boy does this makes a mess because fish fat/oil separates out and floats on surface... Not to mention what my better half thought about my stinkifying the house and in particular her kitchen...

 

[jjohnwm]

Perhaps it's just me but feeding w/c, deep frozen f/w fish would make me uncomfortable because bacteria (virus too?) are not killed by freezing. Since we feed marine fish and the pathogen cultures significantly differ between marine and f/w, it gives me some peace of mind, perhaps falsely, I've never looked in depth. I did read that pathogen transference are rare between salt water and f/w.

When I used to catch f/w fish, crayfish, etc. on my angling trips, I boiled them before feeding but boy does this makes a mess because fish fat/oil separates out and floats on surface... Not to mention what my better half thought about my stinkifying the house and in particular her kitchen...

This is an idea that has haunted me for years; I understand that the freezing is perhaps effective against some parasites, but that bacteria are merely going dormant and not being killed by the freezer. I'm being a bit hypocritical when I do this, considering how completely anal I am when it comes to quarantining new specimens going into an established tank. A 3-month quarantine is nothing out of the ordinary for me...yet a sunfish caught on hook and line undergoes a half-hearted attempt at "disinfection" for a few weeks in the freezer, and then down the gullet it goes.

I periodically salve my conscience with the notion that predators like the Jelly Cat may have some increased resistance to many such bacteria; their food in the wild consists of possibly some of the slowest and sickest fish, which are easier to catch...but I know this is just rationalization. I certainly avoid feeding anything that shows visible signs of disease or infirmity.

But, realistically, I do believe that the typical fish I catch in the wild is likely healthier (and certainly more nutritious) than the typical feeder goldfish that so many keepers consider acceptable for use. The deplorable conditions that most of these store-bought feeders endure before being sold and utilized would be the ultimate breeding ground for every virulent pathogen imaginable, as opposed to a wild fish which has demonstrated its health by surviving right up to the point where it grabs a hook. Rationalization again...

The ideal answer would be a long and arduous quarantine for all those feeders, combined with gut-loading...but I'm not about to do that. I'd quit using feeders (or wild fish) before going to that extreme.

I try to eat healthy...but I still enjoy an occasional greasy burger or other cholesterol-and-fat-loaded tidbit. If you eat only what is healthy, you don't actually live longer...it just seems longer. My fish share a similar schedule of treats.

 

[koltsixx]

Wow! An amazing write up jjohnwm ! Viktor was definitely right your story telling skills are wait for it...... L-E-G-E-N-D-A-R-Y. Such an absolute accurate description of a Jelly in every way. Their personality made all the more attractive to me because it's so relatable. Gluttonous, oafish, unreasonably irritable at times and lazy; if I were but a fish a Jelly I would be. Lol

Pseudopimelodidae in general seem to appeal to me and while I lost my own Apu years ago(messy divorce, vindictive wife) I am enjoying keeping some Pac-Man's and I believe some Batrochoglanis Villosus. The Batros seem to have a similar disposition to my old Jelly but it's being stifled by a Ussuriensis who's a bit of a bully. I hope one day to get a Apu again and a Fowleri. Again, great write up, I loved it.

 

[jjohnwm]

Wellll...he finally got me.

The Jelly is just over 17 inches now, his growth having slowed down appreciably over the past few months. He has become less and less tolerant of...just about anything, really. No more driftwood in his tank; decor consists of just his 12x12x6-inch ceramic tile house and four Amazon Swords in separate pots. But...even the pots are starting to get him riled up; he is periodically tipping them over, spilling gravel and potting soil and generally making a mess. I've been forced to silicone each pot to a hexagonal ceramic tile about 6 inches across, thus creating a wide base that makes tipping it over impossible.

So, yesterday I decided that the silicone was fully cured and that I would transplant each Sword into its new Jelly-proof planter; new organic potting soil base, capped with pool filter sand and a few large flat pebbles. I have been thinking that it might be time to remove the ceramic structure that was built for the cat to live in, especially since he now sticks out at both ends; I'm not certain if I want to make another one, 24 inches long rather than 12...or if I should simply remove the structure altogether, leaving the cat with four bushy Amazon Swords and a healthy covering of floating plants as cover.

While mulling this over, I did some in-tank drudgery: algae-scraped the front glass, changed the airstone, siphoned some schmutz off the bottom, thinned out the floating greenery. I noted that the guppies I had introduced were completely gone; a typical predator the size of the Jelly would likely have left them alone, as they would be beneath the notice of most large fish, but apparently even a half-inch guppy is worth the energy it takes to SSSLLLUUUURRPPPPP! it up when it ventures too close to a Jelly's business.

The entire time I was working, I was more-or-less keeping an eye on Lumpy as he sat brooding in his lair, his tail sticking out one end and his lips exposed at the other. I could practically hear him muttering.

Finally done, I stepped back to survey my handiwork. Tank a bit cloudy, as expected, but otherwise almost perfect...except...that flowerpot needed to be moved over a few inches. I casually reached my already-wet hand in to perform the correction...and promptly felt the last three fingers of my hand engulfed halfway up the palm in an emery-cloth-wrapped pair of pliers.

I'm not entirely certain what happened next. I seem to recall a calm, cool and collected twitch of my hand in an attempt to release it...but my dog levitated four feet straight into the air and came down barking, and my wife appeared at the top of the stairs and worriedly asked if I were okay, so maybe there was a bit of animation involved. Come to think of it, I don't recall Homer Simpson being present, so perhaps that high-pitched little shriek was me...

The dang fish released me almost immediately, lurched around and retreated back into its dark cave. I don't believe this was a feeding strike; my hands were clean and unscented, freshly-washed before I began working, and I had handled no food products. No, this fish had simply had enough disturbance into its domain and had come out eject the intruder.

 

[Niki_up]

I just discovered this thread tonight, I enjoyed the read this far and look forward to additional posts.

I may have chucked when you said you shrieked like Homer Simpson and am very glad I’m not the only one who does such shrieking

I’m guessing your fingers may have looked like fat little tasty worms to lumpy

 

[jjohnwm]

I just discovered this thread tonight, I enjoyed the read this far and look forward to additional posts.

I may have chucked when you said you shrieked like Homer Simpson and am very glad I’m not the only one who does such shrieking

I’m guessing your fingers may have looked like fat little tasty worms to lumpy

Okay, now wait a minute...I didn't actually say I made a sound. In all the excitement, I may have heard some little girlie-squeak, and I suppose there's some small chance it had something to do with me, but I'm not admitting anything for sure...

Honestly, what is it with women? My wife has been needling me about this since it happened, and now you start...

Come to think of it...I'll bet the catfish is likely a female...

 

[Niki_up]

Okay, now wait a minute...I didn't actually say I made a sound. In all the excitement, I may have heard some little girlie-squeak, and I suppose there's some small chance it had something to do with me, but I'm not admitting anything for sure...

Honestly, what is it with women? My wife has been needling me about this since it happened, and now you start...

Come to think of it...I'll bet the catfish is likely a female...

“I don't recall Homer Simpson being present, so perhaps that high-pitched little shriek was me...”

I only have information you provided…so if you don’t want to sound like a squeemish girl don’t present the info I’m joking and am thoroughly laughing

I’m betting your catfish is definitely a girl!!!

 

[jjohnwm]

Ah, there's the key word right there: "perhaps". That's not actually admitting to anything.

All joking aside...I bred and raised snakes and other reptiles for many years, and have been bitten a lot, not only by those "pets" but also thanks to fishing and collecting bitey things in general. Most of the time, when I got bit I was kinda sorta half expecting to get bit, and I was ready...or as ready as one can be...

...but this fish caught me offguard...although I shouldn't have been...and I was more shocked and alarmed than likely any other bites ever received. Aside from a couple of nasty jolts from electric fish (cats and eels), nothing else came close. And it didn't even hurt, barely left a visible mark at all.

It was just...SURPRISE!!!!!!!