Just for you, Koltsixx...

[koltsixx]

Love the update Viktor! I'm still so jealous that you've got all black Trachy's; as you might remember mine are the white belly form/sub species? Mine seem to have maxed out around 14", either I accidentally stunted them or the white belly grows smaller? In either case mine are 13 years old now and they seem to have become increasingly predatory.

At first the female used to go predatory on her tankmates off and on with sometimes years of her ignoring her tankmates then to suddenly devour several of them or kill them in the attempt of eating them. Now both are fairly predatory. They've killed/or eaten almost all their tankmates in the course of a year. From Tapajos to Zebrina pikes both of similar length to the Trachys; to a immense Mammon who I thought for sure they'd leave alone because he was almost as high as he was long and he was thicker then any cichlid I've kept. Fish thay had comm'd with for years with no incidents at all then suddenly in quick succession they took them out.

Currently they're with 2 Rhinodoras-10", 1 Xanthic Nigrita-8", 1 Apurensis-6", 1 Vulture-10". 1 Yarrelli-14" and a Platydoras sp. Maroni-12-14". I originally had 3 Rhinodoras but 1 was eaten by the Trachys and just recently another of them suffered an attempted eating. The Trachys share a hide with the Maroni very peacefully; only the female Trachy sometimes leaves and takes residence in a hide closer to the other side of the tank occassionally. They will on rare occasion patrol during the day. I usually feel it's due to a minor dispute in the hide. When there's food though they have no issue with being in the light, so much so they readily feed from the surface.

Their ability to sense food is impressive as as soon as it hits the water they rush from their hides like a heat seeking missile on a definitive search and destroy mission of said food. Their ability to locate is so acute they almost always get to the food before it can even reach the mid strata of the water column. Which is why I feed my Yarrelli almost by hand. The other cats are rambunctious enough to make sure they get their fair share.

Thanks again Viktor for the great thread. Even though my Trachys have been a handful I love them and driftwoods in general. I've got some Pseudauchenipterus nodosus that I really enjoy and kno4te and I would like to get our hands on some Tocantinsia depressa/piresi.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

The quartet seems to have settled in the 1800 gal.

I observe these whitish (fuzzy?) spots on their tooth patches, which I had seen before, a few years back, when they were regularly fighting or bickering over who hides where over or under who... until I arranged those 10 concrete blocks for them in their prior 240 gal.

Now these spots have reappeared. I assume this is from bickering amongst themselves. You can see them on one of the catfish below:

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Doing ok in the 1800 gal. The footage is in the beginning few minutes and at the end 24:40 to the end.

 

[koltsixx]

Lookin awesome as always Viktor, still love those Trachy's and those Mega's look great too.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

For the last half a year, we've had trouble in that 1800 gal - lost many tigs, LSN, and also sadly 3 of 4 trachies. I believe there is an unidentified pathogen in that 25K gal three-tank and a sump system, perhaps same dreaded columnaris which outbreak we had in 2018. All of these fish died in a similiar fashion - stopped feeding, being able to swim up right, spinning around, then dead.

Anyhow, this is a sad update. The remaining trachy is one of the biggest (the smallest, perhaps males went first) and looks good but I have not seen it feed in months it seems. It just lays around its favorite spot.

Got them all in 2016 or so at 6", hence they are only about 5-6 years old.

One. 15". Probably female.




Two. 14". Probably male.





Three. 13". Probably male. They all have these amazing saw teeth on their pectoral fin spines... or only males do?

 

[koltsixx]

For the last half a year, we've had trouble in that 1800 gal - lost many tigs, LSN, and also sadly 3 of 4 trachies. I believe there is an unidentified pathogen in that 25K gal three-tank and a sump system, perhaps same dreaded columnaris which outbreak we had in 2018. All of these fish died in a similiar fashion - stopped feeding, being able to swim up right, spinning around, then dead.

Anyhow, this is a sad update. The remaining trachy is one of the biggest (the smallest, perhaps males went first) and looks good but I have not seen it feed in months it seems. It just lays around its favorite spot.

Got them all in 2016 or so at 6", hence they are only about 5-6 years old.

One. 15". Probably female.

View attachment 1470434View attachment 1470435View attachment 1470436


Two. 14". Probably male.

View attachment 1470437View attachment 1470438View attachment 1470439View attachment 1470440View attachment 1470441



Three. 13". Probably male. They all have these amazing saw teeth on their pectoral fin spines... or only males do?


View attachment 1470442View attachment 1470443View attachment 1470444View attachment 1470445View attachment 1470446View attachment 1470447View attachment 1470448

I am so sorry to hear of your loss Viktor, you have my sincerest condolences. All your fish are beauties but I especially loved your chunky Trachy's.

I still have mine and they occasionally show breeding attempts. If I get some babies I would gladly send you some. However I worry because of their age they won't be able to breed or it'll kill them. They are long in the tooth at 14 years old. Easily my oldest fish to date. Though not long ago my Vulture Cat whose around 14 inches decided that my Male Trachys Adipose fin looked tasty and amputated it for my poor Male but since has left both my Trachys alone since.

My cursed fish is Bagarius; I've had Yarrelli and Lica several of each and they all die from causes unknown to me. I have managed to get one of my dream fish though recently. I finally got my hands on 2 Lithodoras Dorsalis and I really like them. In my experiences with Doras these guys are fairly active in relation to the rest of their family. They patrol when ever they are hungry and they are hungry often. Not aggressive eater but active searchers of morsels. They often patrol just under the surface. I guess they aren't as light sensitive as many of their kin, which makes sense as they have fairly large eyes compared to others in their family.

Thanks for updating me and this thread Viktor, I appreciate hearing how things are going with your collection. Again I'm sorry it was a sad update but I hope you get things figured out. I consider you a great fishkeeper and if nothing else, hopefully this will be something that others can learn from once you find out the issue.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Our last specimen still hangs on. Looks like the biggest female. When I drop feed near it, it takes it. But doesn't come out to feedings on its own. Weird. Almost never moves during the day except in between 3-4 favorite lay spots. IDK what happens at night. Seems to just exist. I hope it is overcoming the pathogen that killed its three kin.

Thank you, Joshua, so much for your post! You seem to be in hiding mostly in recent years.

K6: I still have mine and they occasionally show breeding attempts.
TBTB: Shocked! You gotta catch on video and post it on YouTube!

K6: Though not long ago my Vulture Cat whose around 14 inches decided that my Male Trachys Adipose fin looked tasty and amputated it for my poor Male but since has left both my Trachys alone.
TBTB: Goes to show how tanks and experiences vary. Our vultures don't bother healthy, strong, comfortable, big fish.

K6: My cursed fish is Bagarius; I've had Yarrelli and Lica several of each and they all die from causes unknown to me.
TBTB: Yup. I got one of those lists too, for instance firewood catfish and black lancer catfish.

K6: I finally got my hands on 2 Lithodoras Dorsalis and I really like them.
TBTB: No way! My dream too. Have you gotten them from Steve of Exotic Fish Shop for over $300 a piece when they came up earlier this year?

K6: In my experiences with Doras these guys are fairly active in relation to the rest of their family. They patrol when ever they are hungry and they are hungry often. Not aggressive eater but active searchers of morsels. They often patrol just under the surface. I guess they aren't as light sensitive as many of their kin, which makes sense as they have fairly large eyes compared to others in their family.
TBTB: My experience is of course in the dedicated thread. Your description sounds close to what I observed, except mine would feed typical of large doradids, until round.

K6: I hope you get things figured out. ... hopefully this will be something that others can learn from once you find out the issue.
TBTB: I am pretty confident on the cause of death because similar deaths have been happening to different tank mates over the last 6-12 months. It is obviously some internal infection. But you are right, I've been wrong before, so it is but a working hypothesis.

 

[koltsixx]

Our last specimen still hangs on. Looks like the biggest female. When I drop feed near it, it takes it. But doesn't come out to feedings on its own. Weird. Almost never moves during the day except in between 3-4 favorite lay spots. IDK what happens at night. Seems to just exist. I hope it is overcoming the pathogen that killed its three kin.

Thank you, Joshua, so much for your post! You seem to be in hiding mostly in recent years.

You're welcome Viktor, it is always a pleasure talking fish with you; I always find it enlightening. And again thanks for your responses and great info you've been putting into this thread. I hope she pulls through for you, I've got my fingers crossed. Mine never leave their hides for the most part except when they smell food. Only the male will occasionally patrol to look for food without an stimuli that I can tell except hunger.

Yeah, I'm sorry for that. I regret not being more active to help the rest of the Mods and not being more helpful to the community in general. I have had a lot of personal issues and I unfortunately have not risen to the challenge as I should. I can only hope that I find the strength to make the changes I need to not just for myself but for my loved ones and so I might also be a positive force in the world.

K6: I still have mine and they occasionally show breeding attempts.
TBTB: Shocked! You gotta catch on video and post it on YouTube!

I never got a video but I had submitted a pic awhile ago and it is also on Planetcatfish showing my Trachys locked and the male using his genital papilla on the female. I hope when I finally get into my new house I can setup my fishroom and start posting on my youtube channel again. I have a definitive route I want to take my hobby and have been considering what I would stock as well as try and breed some fish that haven't reproduced in captivity such as the Trachys.

K6: Though not long ago my Vulture Cat whose around 14 inches decided that my Male Trachys Adipose fin looked tasty and amputated it for my poor Male but since has left both my Trachys alone.
TBTB: Goes to show how tanks and experiences vary. Our vultures don't bother healthy, strong, comfortable, big fish.

My Vulture has been okay for the most part. He did take a chunk out of one of my Yarrelli and after years together that adipose fin bite to the Trachy, which was surgical and only took the fin. Other than that the Vulture has not bothered my 2 Rhinodoras, Xanthic Nigrita, Apurensis, Maroni or my Kamfa and now my Lithodoras which he actually patrols with on occasion but they are more active than the Vulture. As a mater of fact the Vulture was bullied by a Blochii I had who had no issue with anyone except the Vulture.

K6: My cursed fish is Bagarius; I've had Yarrelli and Lica several of each and they all die from causes unknown to me.
TBTB: Yup. I got one of those lists too, for instance firewood catfish and black lancer catfish.

I've never had either but I always wanted to try the Lancer, though I may go with the Harlequin Lancer when I do try.

K6: I finally got my hands on 2 Lithodoras Dorsalis and I really like them.
TBTB: No way! My dream too. Have you gotten them from Steve of Exotic Fish Shop for over $300 a piece when they came up earlier this year?

I actually got mine from Aqua Imports but I believe I did pay over $300 for each.

K6: In my experiences with Doras these guys are fairly active in relation to the rest of their family. They patrol when ever they are hungry and they are hungry often. Not aggressive eater but active searchers of morsels. They often patrol just under the surface. I guess they aren't as light sensitive as many of their kin, which makes sense as they have fairly large eyes compared to others in their family.
TBTB: My experience is of course in the dedicated thread. Your description sounds close to what I observed, except mine would feed typical of large doradids, until round.

Lol, mine do as well. They eat till they look like they will burst. I'll have to check out your thread. Would love to see what you comm'ed them with as well as your setup for them and of course to see the fish themselves.

K6: I hope you get things figured out. ... hopefully this will be something that others can learn from once you find out the issue.
TBTB: I am pretty confident on the cause of death because similar deaths have been happening to different tank mates over the last 6-12 months. It is obviously some internal infection. But you are right, I've been wrong before, so it is but a working hypothesis.

If I implied you where wrong it was not my intention. These things just happen sometimes and it's beyond even the best fishkeeper. Sometimes things unexpected crop up, it's life and we live and we learn and we grow, life is sublime that way. I hope you work it out and as I said maybe share it so we might learn from it as well.

 

[koltsixx]

Unfortunately I think I jinxed myself. Just a little while ago while doing a water change, I found my male Trachy with horrible open bite wounds. And considering the rest of the Trachy tankmates and size of the wounds; I'm pretty sure it had to be the Vulture. I can only hope the Trachy recovers. He is acting normal but so much pink flesh is showing, hopefully it doesn't get infected or the stress kill him.

My female has never been bit by the Vulture nor any other tankmates except the Yarrelli. I think it was territorial, rather than predatory bites. The male Trachy occasionally feign bites and bumps the other tankmates and I've seen the Vultture try to stand his ground but I think sometime when I wasn't aware they fought and the Vulture bit my poor Trachy up.

I really hope I don't lose the Trachy after all this time. I moved the Vulture and I think the Trachy will be left alone, I just hope he recovers and does so quickly

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Yeah, this happens. One of the reasons I am trying my best to never keep any fish that I can't easily and readily see. For this I endure criticism on YouTube that I am a subpar keeper because some of our tanks are bare.

Yes, the first attack could have been a fluke but still would put me on an alarm and close watch, if it was impossible to separate. IDK why your vulture would do this. I've never seen our vultures display any territorial behavior but they have been in a 4500 gal since 12" (2016) and in the past years and especially lately on the receiving end of the tank mate aggression, which is why now there are only 4 of 6 and they now reside in the 25K for the last month. In a smaller tank things may be quite different. Another reason might be that the trachy is weak or stressed. Our vultures sense this and may attack. But it sounds like yours was feeding and behaving normal, making this guess not plausible.