Does anyone know anything about Potamarius nelsoni?

[Dan F]

I recently bought a book on Mexican freshwater fishes. In it I found a catfish that seems like it would be a great candidate for a Monster Catfish Keeper!

Potamarius nelsoni (aka Bagre Lacandón or Lacandon Sea Catfish) reaches a maximum length of around 38 centimeters. Contrary to it's English popular name it is found only in freshwater, never brackish.

A few facts: They are paternal mouthbrooders. They can produce sound with their pectoral spines as well as the air bladder. They were considered by E. W. Nelson (presumably their namesake and somewhat biased) to be "the best freshwater food fish in México".

 

[Dan F]

Anybody?

 

[lophius]

Do you know anyone that collects fish from Mexico?

No info available really - I'm sure you've searched fish base and the web - I'd assume that it would be fairly similar in habit, temperament, feeding to other arridae cats. Normal catfish fodder would probably suffice for diet too ...

Is it a food fish in mexico? Can you find where they are found ??

I suspect that you may be on your own with this one - do we have any mexican residents in membership ?

carl

 

[Dan F]

Do you know anyone that collects fish from Mexico?

No info available really - I'm sure you've searched fish base and the web - I'd assume that it would be fairly similar in habit, temperament, feeding to other arridae cats. Normal catfish fodder would probably suffice for diet too ...

Is it a food fish in mexico? Can you find where they are found ??

I suspect that you may be on your own with this one - do we have any mexican residents in membership ?

carl

Thanks for the reply!

Fish collecting in Mexico is very limited. The government enforces a rather draconian anti-exportation (of live fish) policy. Potamarius nelsoni is native to the Southern part of the Yucatan and Northern Belize (I don't know about Belize's collecting regulations) so maybe there's hope that they may be occasionally available to the aquarium trade. Maybe I need to make it a goal to bring a few of these to the U.S.!

Another thought is that if they allow exportation of P. nelsoni as a food fish you could export them as a live commodity, much like the fish that are sold in Asian fish markets...