Is this a Wyckii or an ARTC??

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monsterkeeper87

monsterkeeper87

Piranha
MFK Member
Jan 16, 2013
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It was sold to me as a Wyckii but someone on another post said it looked more like an asian red tail.

The top and bottom rays of the tail fin appeared to be turning white ans the beginnings of a streamer are starting to grow (not sure if ARTC have them?) so I would think Wyckii but when I moved him to a new tank I noticed he had a very slight red tint to his tail, not sure if this could be diet related or if he is in fact a red tail!

Here are some starting when I he was smaller until today, if better ones are needed then I will fish him out.

ImageUploadedByMonsterAquariaNetwork1389874928.234239.jpg

Here you can just about see the top ray on his tail starting to turn white
ImageUploadedByMonsterAquariaNetwork1389875014.751321.jpg

Now the most recent, they are not very good but I can get better if needed??

ImageUploadedByMonsterAquariaNetwork1389875172.299587.jpg
ImageUploadedByMonsterAquariaNetwork1389875235.668446.jpg

I know they suck but I only have an iphone to take them with, hopefully it's good enough





Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
If you peruse the ARTC photos, you will find answers to your secondary questions: http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/image.php?image_id=15273 - it appears that ARTC when small have the white bands/rays in their tail and a streamer too.

As for the main question, after the revision came out with a truckload of new species, I don't dare to guess anymore in non-obvious cases. From 3 species it went to 32 !! http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/genus.php?genus_id=13#19 - the product of long-time-coming, hard work of Heok Hee Ng (aka "Silurus" on PCF), one of the most prominent taxonomists of Asian catfish of our time. You can ask him.

Yours strikes my eye as stocky built. I am used to seeing notably more slender wyckiis and wyckioides.
 
I am afraid to put a even a soft number on it. Yes, they grow much slower than large Pims, perhaps 2-5+ times slower. Huge range, poor guidance, I know, but that's my best "guesstimate".

Do we know if it is w/c or farmed? There is this notion that some farmed ones, such as Hemibagrus nemurus (most often albino), IDS, etc., are poor growers, which I don't understand as this would ruin the food fish farming business... but, indeed, we have been seeing fishes of abnormally slow growth and attaining much smaller adult sizes, it would seem of both hemibagrus and the IDS. Supposedly due to insufficient attention of the farmers to the maintenance of a healthy gene pool.

The usual thought/conviction is that we in the trade get a tiny % of the fish raised for food.

This conundrum could be reconciled by a supposition that the ornamental fish trade is now getting supplied from a different source than food fish farms and the ornamental fish trade may even benefit from smaller fishes as more hobbyists can house them. They would also benefit as these fish would reproduce poorly too (and are more sickly). All this increases the "ornamental farmers" consumer demand and farmers' security. ATM, this is but my wild thoughts, unsupported by anything.

It also depends on what housing mindset you follow, the ~4Lx2L min or some other.

Sorry. Wishy-washy. Lots of words, little benefit.

My two bigger wyckiis were ~14"-16" and in 1-2 years I have not noticed them to grow much. You may have more time than you think. ARTC I have no 1sthand experience with.
 
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