Looks great Rudy! Definitely grown a lot since your last post. Mine grew to 13" in 7 years, but I've seen a couple a 2-3 footers online. How long did it take those to grow that large I do not know. You're doing a great job with him. Thanks for the updates
E cat has settled in nicely
- Thread starter rudy
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Thanks. I feed him earthworms every few days when I started now onto shrimp. I am trying to feed him steadily but only a couple times per week to make sure no bloat. Appreciate it. I have only had him since July but gets 50 percent water changes twice a week
Why do you say that? Malapterurus Electricus which I believe is what this is can reach those sizes no problem. Only seen one or two people anywhere that had the dwarf variety and both were in Asia.
I was saying there is different species of e cat which is why he sees different sizes. Wasn't specific my bad
I think M. electricus is the most common and available imported species. It is reported to grow 4 feet in habitat. Mine grew to 1 foot in seven years. It went from a 10 gal to a 55 to a 125 and died right before I wanted to move him to the 180 gal. Here's my 1st Question: Do you think it would have grown larger over time and with the progressive tank upgrades? Does anyone have any experience keeping larger or older specimens? In what size tank were they kept? Was the cause of death the weird bloat that appears to be from electric organ discharge failure when kept in tanks?
Also available is the less frequently available M. microstoma which reportedly grows to less than 2 feet in habitat. Looks to me they have the more pointed mouth with larger lips and a dorsal fin that is more pronounced and are more grayish than brownish. Btw, upon closer inspections of Rudy's older pics, his looks to me like microstoma. Here's my 2nd Question: Why do the large 3 footers that I see online ALL look like M. microstoma?
I'm beginning to think that the published information is inaccurate, or just mixed up. I think that the M. electrics grows to 21" in habitat and grows to around 12" in aquaculture and the M. microstoma, the "dwarf" grows to 48" in habitat and around 36" in aquaculture. These are my observations. I did see a subspecies page online with over a dozen photographed specimens, some of which were preserved subspecies. Most of the subspecies with discernible featured were reported to be rarely available and the others looked so similar or so dried up, it was hard to make sense of sub specific differences. Go figure!
Any input would be much appreciated.
I think the growth might have been stunted living in the 125 honestly and probably would have seen a more rapid growth rate if it had been in a 240+ all along where it would have more turning width. That said I saw similar growth rates to you and in similar sized tanks before mine died while I was out of town for a week and was relying on other people to watch my tank back in college. All my syno's that were in the tank died as well due to some bacterial outbreak I assume caused by overfeeding in my absence and uneaten food decaying for several days in the tank (market shrimp). I've never seen one over 18" being kept in captivity and almost all of the ones I have seen were 12-14" when something happened or they sold it. I kept it with 3 Syno Multipunctatus and 2 Syno Flavitaeniatus without issue for close to a year.
The only person I know that is a hobbyist and not just a google pic I've seen of M. microstoma was Amidaii (Ben I think his name is) he was on Arofanatics and I think may have had an ID on here as well. Unrelated but same dude was one of the first to breed Pacman cats and has kept tons of truly impressive species. I'll post the pics of the bigger E-Cats I've got at home tonight if I remember but the big ones I've seen looked like Electricus.
I don't have the answer to all your questions but I'm general with any fish it's best to start them in the final tank if available or the largest tank you can. More moves equals more stress equals higher chance of stunting.
