Auchenoglanis sp. Bouche

RBoydIV

Gambusia
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Oct 23, 2013
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Picked this guy up about a month ago now. He was about 2" now around 3". Didn't realize before i got him home but he only has one yeah. It was hard to see with all the spots. I informed the LFS i got him from and they offered to refund my money but it was the only one they had. It really didn't bother me so I kept it. I was told he is a "dwarf" giraffe cat but would still reach about 1.5'. I have now read conflicting results about the size he will reach, have seen they reach anywhere from 1'-2.5'.

Can anyone confirm for me that it is a Bouche. I love the pattern on this little guy and know that he would keep it. He also has no problem with only one eye. It looks like to me that he the eye is missing because of genetics not because he lost it to any problem. There isn't even an eye socket where it should be.

I have him in a grow out with my new little 5" silver aro. At first he would only eat frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp. Now he love crushed up massivore. makes feeding much easier.
 

Yellowcat

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Having raised 2 auchenoglanis sp. 'bouche' cats in the past I can confirm that yours is a bouche as well. They are not a dwarf species and do grow quite large, I sold mine at around 13-14" and found out 2 years later that they had grown to about 24" and were sold again to another keeper who reported that they continued to grow somewhat larger. This is a pic of one of mine from a few years ago…
Giraffe-.gif

Giraffe-.gif
 

thebiggerthebetter

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This is a rather regular question on here and I'd go by what Yellowcat says.

What complicates things is that the Auchenoglanis genus is in a taxonomical limbo with two most recent revisions dividing it into 8 or 2 species.
 

Quo Vadis

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Apr 12, 2014
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Waiting on the arrival of my sp. Bouche from Wetspot! I think they are prettier than normal giraffe cats - and hopefully they have the same great personality?
He will be in my 700g tank with cichlids, hifin shark, pbass, plecos, etc.
 

SwellyJelly

Exodon
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Nov 18, 2014
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Waiting on the arrival of my sp. Bouche from Wetspot! I think they are prettier than normal giraffe cats - and hopefully they have the same great personality?
He will be in my 700g tank with cichlids, hifin shark, pbass, plecos, etc.
Do you have any updates on your bouche from them? I'm looking to get one from them as well but waiting to pull the trigger!
 

thebiggerthebetter

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Yellowcat

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Kirk, this thread ( http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=32248 ) makes me doubt you have indeed had this species. Not saying who is right or wrong but the PCF entry for this fish is based on Mark Smith's fish - http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=2984 - perhaps the PCF does not mean to say this is "Bouche" as this word is absent.
Hey Viktor, saw your post and the link. The first time I saw the 'Bouche' reference was from Toyin @ Rehoboth Aquatics. For what it's worth, the pair I had were obtained from Toyin…
 

thebiggerthebetter

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