Am currently looking for one for my 220. Anyone keep these that can offer up any advice, tips or suggestions. I know I can't keep it for life with only a 220 but have several people in my area that keep monster fish and have tanks that will take it once it outgrows my 220.
Although the Auchenoglanis genus is currently in a taxonomic limbo, plenty has been written on the various species since the last two conflicting revisions.
If you get one(s) called "Volta", you likely will get the species that grows to only ~1'. Or so we currently know.
Another smaller one maxing out at the same ~1' is A. senegali.
Giraffe Cats are easy to keep really, eating pellets and a variety of worms, a ph of 6.5 and temps in the mid-70's work just fine. They enjoy a gravel substrate and perhaps some driftwood for shade in the beginning. Shy as juveniles, they become more outgoing over time, developing friendly personalities and interactive behaviors to eating out of your hand at some point. A plus is that their bottom feeding characteristics will keep gravel substrates amazingly clean. They usually get along well with other tank mates and are not aggressive other than if they have to compete at feeding time but usually are quite peaceful overall. Species imported from the Congo River are usually auchenoglanis occidentalis or auchenoglanis wittei, both grow very large to 24" or more...
Giraffe Cats are easy to keep really, eating pellets and a variety of worms, a ph of 6.5 and temps in the mid-70's work just fine. They enjoy a gravel substrate and perhaps some driftwood for shade in the beginning. Shy as juveniles, they become more outgoing over time, developing friendly personalities and interactive behaviors to eating out of your hand at some point. A plus is that their bottom feeding characteristics will keep gravel substrates amazingly clean. They usually get along well with other tank mates and are not aggressive other than if they have to compete at feeding time but usually are quite peaceful overall. Species imported from the Congo River are usually auchenoglanis occidentalis or auchenoglanis wittei, both grow very large to 24" or more...
