Dwarf Giraffe cat

[IloveSturgeon]

Could a dward giraffe cat be in a 55 galllon tank?

 

[Yellowcat]

It depends on the genus/species. Some will try and sell auchenoglanis species as "dwarf" giraffe cats but most such as auchenoglanis occidentalis will grow to 3' and larger. With the genus parauchenoglanis, often called "dwarf" giraffe cats, at least 2 species I've kept will grow to around 20". Within the genus notoglanidium, such as notoglanidium macrostoma are a smaller species and only reach around 8" and would be fine in a 55...

 

[rodger]

I have what I believe to be occidentalis. I have had it for about 3 years now and it stopped growing at about 1 ft.

 

[rodger]

Picture

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

It does not look like an occidentalis to my untrained eye but Yellowcat ?

 

[Yellowcat]

rodger's fish is definitely an auchenoglanis species but possibly not an occidentalis variety. I've seen several reports of auchenoglanis species that remained small and two species have been said to be a smaller variety. One is supposed to be an occidentalis that comes from Ghana in the Volta River system but little info or pictures exist that I've been able to find. The other is auchenoglanis tanganicanus that exists in Lake Tanganyka that looks very much like rodger's fish in body shape and markings at least as shown in photo's on Planet Catfish. In either case a rare and beautiful fish, it would be great to know where it came from, I'd love to find one...