Giraffe catfish at Fish Story

[thebiggerthebetter]

Kevin and Paige Beetlebug515 Paige donated this giraffe catfish at ~10" back in Jul-Aug 2016, whom Paige named Happy. Now having kept it for a while on the east coast I must agree - it's the most outgoing and "happy" out of my 7 Auchenoglanis cats, or perhaps simply the smartest because he is the only master beggar in the group and knows how to use its cuteness factor to its advantage

After settling in and reaching ~12", it was becoming apparent to me it looks the closest to another one of my g-cats from Congo river, which supposedly houses only Auchenoglanis wittei. So that's the tentative ID at the moment.

It was bothered a touch by someone in the 4500 gal at the beginning judging from a bit tattered fins now and then but lately it has been intact and has grown to 14"+. Eats very well, needless to say. Behaves very relaxed, borderline brazen

Dec 19 2016, ~14":

Aug 2016, ~10"-11":

 

[Woefulrelic]

Looks like he acclimated nicely, put on some weight too.

 

[Beetlebug515]

Waiting for Da Wife so we can watch together. Nice to know he's grown a bunch!

Great video Viktor! Da wife and I thank you for the update. He's certainly put on some size compared to the first video.

 

[Deadliestviper7]

Giraffecats are known for eating like pigs,how's his appetite?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

He is pitching in as a vacuum cleaner, just like his brothers, cousins, and the big guys from across the pond, that is from South America occupying the same biological spot (nigers).

 

[vincentwugwg]

Always a pleasure seeing your great video updates Viktor

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

I bought two giraffe cats Auchenoglanis cf. Bouche last Spring of 2016 from a colleague of ours. They came in at ~6" and thus have added about 10" in 8 months. Their coloration is similar but one is usually much lighter colored than the other. I don't readily detect any other differences. The growth rate and temperament and behavior are about the same.

Needless to say they love their food and are never hungry, although one cannot tell this from their zealous feeding habits.

I am currently growing out 7 Auchenoglanis to try and ID them more firmly when they are larger:

- 2 Bouche
- 1 from Congo (should be wittei); WetSpot
- 1 from beetlebug515 that looks much like the Congo; named Happy
- 1 from Niger (WetSpot)
- 1 from Volta (WetSpot)
- 1 unknown, also from WetSpot, sold as occidentalis but it is not; it looks closest to Volta but we'll see

Anyhow, here are two videos on the Bouche's:

This is the lighter-colored one. Of course, it decided to embarrass me by flicking a couple of times, showing I need to care for them better

This is the darker one:

...

Our first giraffe cats from back in 2009-2011:

Small-growing Auchenoglanis biscutatus:




Auchenoglanis occidentalis, or maybe wittei:




Biscutatus again:



occidentalis / wittei again:

 

[Yellowcat]

Viktor, you have such an amazing collection of fish and tanks, very impressed with the thought that must be involved with selecting the varied species that get along so well in the community settings that you create. Great that you have obtained so many occidentalis species to compare their habits and growth. Hoping to learn if the Volta River species remains a smaller variety as rumors and anecdotal information suggests as I would love to find an occidentalis that I could keep for life is a less than monster size tank. Your 'bouche' species are so healthy and seemingly happy. Their coloration and markings are less distinct and more faded than the one's I'd kept in the past but you can still see the unique patterns of that species. Lighting and environment determines appearance more than other factors, mine were in much darker environs. Lovely giraffe cat's indeed!

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Viktor, you have such an amazing collection of fish and tanks, very impressed with the thought that must be involved with selecting the varied species that get along so well in the community settings that you create. Great that you have obtained so many occidentalis species to compare their habits and growth. Hoping to learn if the Volta River species remains a smaller variety as rumors and anecdotal information suggests as I would love to find an occidentalis that I could keep for life is a less than monster size tank. Your 'bouche' species are so healthy and seemingly happy. Their coloration and markings are less distinct and more faded than the one's I'd kept in the past but you can still see the unique patterns of that species. Lighting and environment determines appearance more than other factors, mine were in much darker environs. Lovely giraffe cat's indeed!

I appreciate the encouragement, Kirk

So I infer that you are a lumper, not splitter in that you are following the latest 2013 revision that recognized only two species, as opposed to the second to the last in 2010 that recognized 8 species or some such number. Is that right?

I don't know which to follow and remain thoroughly confused, mostly because PCF is keeping silence on the issue. PCF and I too appear to be at the mercy of Birger https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=39318&hilit=revision

The prior owner of the bouches got them from Dave's fish.

So far I'd say that the rumors appear substantiated in my case as my Volta's appetite is 1/3-1/2 of that of other g-cats, and hence, the growth is too. I got them at the same time - Volta, Niger, and Congo at ~3", ~3" and ~1.5" respectively. Today they are ~6", 8", and 8" respectively.

This Volta is growing so slowly that it is the only one left behind in one of the 240 gal tanks; everyone else (all 6) have graduated to the 4500 gal.

I cant' discount, of course, that there may be other reasons behind the slow growth, health-related for instance. But for the moment, it is what it is and interestingly it coincides with what we've heard through the grapevine that Volta are the smallest...

The unknown one from WetSpot that I think looks close to Volta is several month older and has been in the 4500 gal the longest. It's about 8"-10" but it too however is lagging behind in growth and also exhibits different body and fin proportions. For one, its caudal fin is clearly the biggest w.r.t. its body versus the other g-cats.

For reference, here is a thread on the unknown / first Volta specimen / tanganicanus:
https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=43635&hilit=auchenoglanis
another thread that deals with the topic http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=43205#p297955

Here is a thread on the trio from WetSpot - Volta, Niger, and Congo with great input from Kirk:
https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=43925&hilit=auchenoglanis

Here is a thread on the two bouche I got from our colleague: https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=42531&hilit=auchenoglanis


Some other related and interesting links:
arapaimag's 30"er https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=31937&hilit=auchenoglanis
Kirk's: https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=34841&hilit=auchenoglanis
acuticeps https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=35756&hilit=auchenoglanis
Toyin's bouche - Mark Smith https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=32248&hilit=auchenoglanis
bouche? https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=33191&hilit=auchenoglanis
senegali https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=42444&hilit=auchenoglanis
senegali https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=40612&hilit=auchenoglanis
senegali https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=36222&hilit=auchenoglanis

 

[M@T!@$]

I bought two giraffe cats Auchenoglanis cf. Bouche last Spring of 2016 from a colleague of ours. They came in at ~6" and thus have added about 10" in 8 months. Their coloration is similar but one is usually much lighter colored than the other. I don't readily detect any other differences. The growth rate and temperament and behavior are about the same.

Needless to say they love their food and are never hungry, although one cannot tell this from their zealous feeding habits.

I am currently growing out 7 Auchenoglanis to try and ID them more firmly when they are larger:

- 2 Bouche
- 1 from Congo (should be wittei); WetSpot
- 1 from beetlebug515 that looks much like the Congo; named Happy
- 1 from Niger (WetSpot)
- 1 from Volta (WetSpot)
- 1 unknown, also from WetSpot, sold as occidentalis but it is not; it looks closest to Volta but we'll see

Anyhow, here are two videos on the Bouche's:

This is the lighter-colored one. Of course, it decided to embarrass me by flicking a couple of times, showing I need to care for them better

This is the darker one:

Wait..you're that guy on this other site I stopped by on..it was about building this public aquarium thing right?

Anywho, nice fish