My first big amazon catfish: leiarius Marmoratus
- Thread starter ColeFishing
- Start date
Awesome, earnest write-up. To me, this is the most valuable part of a grow-out thread. Although pics are very nice and desirable and carry some educational value, I learn from such write-ups 100 times more.
Everything is agreeable IME. Shyness is a bit unusual. Have you played with lighting? It may be too much light... and in addition may be not enough cover.
A month or a week? Week is ok. A month means something was wrong. Perhaps he was sick or at least stressed by something.
Everything is agreeable IME. Shyness is a bit unusual. Have you played with lighting? It may be too much light... and in addition may be not enough cover.
A month or a week? Week is ok. A month means something was wrong. Perhaps he was sick or at least stressed by something.
no it was more like 2 and a half weeks that time and about 6 days this time. both separate.
i have a very average 3' light on a 6' tank. it isn't bright at all. there is very little cover though. it is hard to find some big enough for him that still fits in the tank. here is a pic i just took of him showing his usual hide.
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
How about not turning the tank light at all and just going by the room light, natural or not? I think that should make a difference. A combo of not much hiding cover and light is likely what causes his uneasiness.
i'll give it a shot. can't hurt to try. it's odd though because he used to have no problem taking food from my hand when he was like 8" and once he got to big to hide under any of the logs he got super uneasy.
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
In the last pics you posted the Marms barbelslook like they can almost touch both sides of the tank at the same time. It's something that is notorious for making them specifically nervous. I personally got around it by as thebiggerthebetter said providing a hide. PVC pipe does the trick and you can pick one up at Homedepot or a similar store and can even get them in black now so they won't stick out as horribly as the white PVC back in the day especially once it gets some algae growth on it. I suggest it be sized to fit him snugly as they like feeling secure almost like driftwood cats where they can lock their spines to stop removal from their hide by predators. Pic of my old Lei at about 12 inches.
that's actually a really great idea. when i can walk again i will have to go pick some up. what size do you recommend?
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Can you flip or stack the logs in a different way so he can fit under them? Black pvc will work but the downside is you won't get to see him very often if he decides to use it. I would also try feeding with the lights off. My achara will only eat pellets that fall in front of his mouth when the lights are on, but as soon as the lights go out he zooms all over the tank swiping everything the other fish miss
Good thinking, Koltsix, on the barbell span. Congrats BTW on the promotion 
Hey Cole, I thought we had had several conversation on the barbell span and its effects and came to an agreement. Are his barbells still not able to touch both the front and the back glass at the same time or have you merely forgotten about it? Because that explains perfectly what you are describing.
Hey Cole, I thought we had had several conversation on the barbell span and its effects and came to an agreement. Are his barbells still not able to touch both the front and the back glass at the same time or have you merely forgotten about it? Because that explains perfectly what you are describing.
Just get a quick measurement of him facing you with his pectoral fins extended out and ask for that diameter PVC. I'd also make sure the PVC Pipe was slightly longer then he is presently this way you'll have some time before he out grows it.
Thanks man! Yeah, it's one of the problems with keeping these guys. Their barbels are ridiculously long and they feel confined trapped when they can't reach an area where their barbels aren't always touched on both sides. I found that despite that fact the PVC creates an area where they feel very secure from predators and therefore relieves stress on them because even though they feel confined they feel as though they have a retreat a place to escape to. Though I'll admit I've only kept two of these guys in my fishkeeping history so far but I've also kept Shovelnose/Lei hybrids(3 of them, awesome fish who does that sweet tri-pod stance that I love) that also suffered from the skittishness and adapted well to my tanks with the addition of the PVC.Good thinking, Koltsix, on the barbell span. Congrats BTW on the promotion
Hey Cole, I thought we had had several conversation on the barbell span and its effects and came to an agreement. Are his barbells still not able to touch both the front and the back glass at the same time or have you merely forgotten about it? Because that explains perfectly what you are describing.
Here's a pic of one of the hybrid, sorry I miss keeping them so had to share a pic.
