A Tank For My Asian Bumblebee

divemaster99

divemaster99

Dovii
MFK Member
Jan 10, 2014
4,795
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Pittsburgh, PA
Well I wanted to use both the free tanks I got to breed fish and for fry but I've decided that I'm going to use the 20 tall (24 x 12 x 16) for my asian bumblebee catfish. I figured I'd give him his own tank because now he's in my 30 tall and he's just pounding any fish that get in his way during feeding time (other than my Corys since they're armored). And the other night when my angelfish came after the bloodworms I target fed him in his spot, well let's just say somebody is missing an eye now. Because of this aggression I think he'll to better in a tank all to himself. Now I pretty much have the tank planned out but I want your guys advice for details.

I want to make this as serene a tank as I can for having a hyperactive catfish in it :). I want to go as natural as possible so for those biotope experts out there I'm seeking your advice. I know asian bumblebees come obviously from Asia but I don't know if they live in streams, rice paddies, blackwater, etc so I'd like to know that way I can decorate the tank and adjust params accordingly. I know this is going to be a LNG shot but is there any way I could make this a planted tank? I'm keeping him in my 30 tall with java fern and anubias and he doesn't seem to mind. So I'm pretty much asking for ideas about how to scape and how to plant such as using certain types of driftwood, substrate, plants, etc.

Any ideas and advice are welcome!
 
B

blackghostuk

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Sep 8, 2009
290
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UK
Hi. Asian bumblebees live in swamps and rivers. They are social fish that live in groups, and are pretty peaceful. They are aggressive when kept on their own because it is not a natural existence for them.

Their main requirements are a shoal, and somewhere to hide up during the day. A 30g is a bit small for a group once they grow a bit.
 
ad88

ad88

Piranha
MFK Member
Apr 11, 2013
226
108
76
Oklahoma
I kept a small group of 3 and they fought and hid in different areas and if one tried to hide with another it was quickly ran off. Maybe my group was to small, but they didn't enjoy each others company.
 
thebiggerthebetter

thebiggerthebetter

Senior Curator
Staff member
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2009
15,689
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Naples, FL, USA
I think when said social, it was spoken of the SA bumblebees like that - Microglanis iheringi http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=303 - Compatibility: Non aggressive and sociable with its own and other species.

Asian bb cats are Bagridae and these are never / almost never sociable and hate each other guts vehemently. The most aggressive (territorially) catfish, and even considering among all fish, come from this family. I think Dive has got Pseudomystus siamensis - http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=708 - Compatibility: Territorially aggressive to its own kind or similar catfishes although more spacious tanks with plenty of hiding places can house a group of these fish. Tell tale croaking noises through the night belie nocturnal disputes and should prompt the separation of warring faction before too much damage is done. Larger individuals will eat small fish (usually at night).

As for their habitat, Dive, just look up the places per that link above - Bangpakong River, Thailand; Chao Phraya and Mekong basins. Reported from Mekong, Peninsular and Southeast Thailand river systems. Thailand Waters, Chao Praya, Mekong, Thailand Waters, Peninsular Thailand Waters.

Or read the reference: References Annals and Magazine of Natural History (Series 8) v. 11 (no. 66), pp 550.

##################################################

FishBase says this (more in the cited references) - http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Pseudomystus-siamensis.html -
Biology: Occurs in rivers and streams (Ref. 12693). Found in the basin wide tributary of the lower Mekong (Ref. 36667). Feeds on aquatic insect larvae, including odonatans. Adult females captured in February had well-developed ova. Spawning takes place at the beginning of the rainy season, with the young appearing in fishing nets during August. Market fresh (Ref. 12693).

Main reference: Kottelat, M., 1998. Fishes of the Nam Theun and Xe Bangfai basins, Laos, with diagnoses of twenty-two new species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae, Balitoridae, Cobitidae, Coiidae and Odontobutidae). Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 9(1):1-128. (Ref. 27732)
 
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