Nice looking fish, looks a bit different than the more common p. bufonis. I'd get one too if I had the tank space. Since it's a different more newly described genus it will be interesting to note it's size and behavior's in the future. No way it could be a p. mangurus as they come from Uruguay or Paraguay if I recall and this fish comes from the Rio Toncantins in Brazil. Were it a p. mangurus, Viktor and I would probably crawl across Florida to get one. Would have responded to this post earlier but just now back from a 2 week fishing trip...
South American Giant BB Cat
- Thread starter jaws7777
- Start date
No worries man hope the trip was fun. So far it's settled into it's qt and is acting like I thought it would....hiding.
One thing that's surprising is how aware it is of activity outside the tank. Most of the other cats I've kept were kind of oblivious to whats going on with the exception of the vulture and even then it isn't anything out of the norm. This little guy was peaking at me from across the room any little movement sent him scurrying back to his cave.
Not taking pellets but no problems with tilapia or shrim
Good that it seems to maybe be slightly less shy than a typical p. bufonis, I had a pair for a decade and only got a glimpse of them maybe once a month. Great that it's eating tilapia and shrimp, it was nearly impossible to wean p. bufonis off live goldfish back then. Hopefully this species may prove to be less aggressive toward smaller tank mates than pseudopimelodus sp. can be, along with a more observable personality would be a plus too. Very cool fish...
Thx man I remember pestering you about bufonius when I 1st joined mfk.
Yeah I'm thinking this guy may be just as shy as you say bufonius were.
That's intriguing to me. I would not expect this kind of catfish to have a sharp eye sight. They are an ambush predator catfish who live in muddy waters and hunt in the dark, pretty much pitch black dark. They are all about smell/taste and feeling vibrations, electrical included, whose bodies are covered in sensors.
Such fish usually have eyes mostly for ornamental purposes and to sense day from night, I naively thought. And even for telling day from night, they may have a third "eye" between the eyes (that also carries out hormonal functions).
Now take a step and the vibration travels through the floor to the fish tank water and they feel it and know what it is - that is what the source of this kind of vibration is.
What's your take Kirk??
Yellowcat
That's intriguing to me. I would not expect this kind of catfish to have a sharp eye sight. They are an ambush predator catfish who live in muddy waters and hunt in the dark, pretty much pitch black dark. They are all about smell/taste and feeling vibrations, electrical included, whose bodies are covered in sensors.
Such fish usually have eyes mostly for ornamental purposes and to sense day from night, I naively thought. And even for telling day from night, they may have a third "eye" between the eyes (that also carries out hormonal functions).
Now take a step and the vibration travels through the floor to the fish tank water and they feel it and know what it is - that is what the source of this kind of vibration is.
What's your take Kirk??
I thought the same too. At fist i figured it was coincidence but it was defudefini reacting. Yeah it's eyes are like pin heads.
Very nice pattern on this fish I'm going to have to figure a way to provide it with cover but still be able to glimpse the fish from time to time. Maybe the slate against the glass like with the jags will be enough
I agree that pseudopimelodid's primarily use their sense of smell, taste , lateral line and weberian apparatus as primary hunting functions more than eyesight. Most I've kept from the group like cephalosilurus and batroglanis species seem to be nearsighted but will recognize people and food offerings outside the tank before the other senses kick in. Sensory vibrations can be felt so easily by them as I've seen my fishes spook when somebody slams the front door, for example. If nothing else with catfishes, I'm inclined to think we often underestimate their abilities in many areas. Once the new rhyacoglanis settles in and perhaps a unique piece of driftwood that allows the fish to feel hidden but at a certain angle can be observed you will better be able to determine what may be close to natural behavior..
Yea, I thoroughly forgot but this reminded me of my apurensis back in Rochester NY in a 4000 gal pond recognizing the sound of a frozen food bag being ripped open. It was unmistakable. I rip open a bag, they instantly rush to their favorite feeding spot and get in a vertical stand by position by the front wall, mouth near surface.
I could walk around the basement with or without any other food and they'd not do it until food hits the water, but this specific and unusual sound they learned totally.
Nothing to report except some decent pics. My son wanted a good look so we flipped his cave.
