My trip to Venezuela - Cephalosilurus apurensis MONSTERS!!!!!

[Dovii kid]

Hahahaha I know the feeling. I want to get another as well. That sounds good. I want to purchase one I am at odds with myself. I also want to get Three Asian Arowanas.

I wouldn't mind a few of those either, unfortunately illegal for me.

I had an apurensis over a decade ago before anyone really knew what they were. At that point think only a handful in the states had them. I really enjoyed him but then again I'm a catfish FREAK.

 

[jjohnwm]

I had a Cephalosilurus, unknown species but apparently apurensis, about 30 years ago. Kept it for over a decade, never knew anything about it including its common or scientific name the entire time. I got it from a guy who also didn't know what it was; he was trying to trade it in at a LFS; they didn't want it, and he let me have it for a song. I only ID'd it this past year, thanks to a thread answered by thebiggerthebetter replying to somebody else's question.

My wife christened it the Lump-of-Fecal-Matter Catfish, but she used a more colloquial version of the name. Absolutely terrific fish!

 

[Dovii kid]

I had a Cephalosilurus, unknown species but apparently apurensis, about 30 years ago. Kept it for over a decade, never knew anything about it including its common or scientific name the entire time. I got it from a guy who also didn't know what it was; he was trying to trade it in at a LFS; they didn't want it, and he let me have it for a song. I only ID'd it this past year, thanks to a thread answered by thebiggerthebetter replying to somebody else's question.

My wife christened it the Lump-of-Fecal-Matter Catfish, but she used a more colloquial version of the name. Absolutely terrific fish!

That's fantastic. By chance any pics of the fish, maybe polaroids, lol. How large were you able to get him?

 

[jjohnwm]

Lol, I barely have pics of my kids from back then; certainly none of fish, at least not aquarium fish.

He was a bit over a foot long when I got him, and grew fairly quickly to about 20 inches. He only gained a few more inches in the ensuing years, and was just a bit over 2 feet when I eventually gave him to a friend. Kept in touch with him (the guy and the fish!) for another decade or so, and the fish was probably about 28 inches last time I saw him (over ten years ago).

Mine was one of those great fish who would eat anything he could get into his mouth...but if a fish was too big to eat, he never bothered it in any way. A very aggressive eater, but a totally non-combative tankmate.

I'm pretty much out of the "big fish" game, but I have been toying with the idea of just one big tank housing just one big fish, and the jellycat is a prime contender (along with electric cat)...but this time I want to get a very small one and raise him up myself. As a single specimen for this kind of display, I think the Jellycat puts things like RTC's, TSN's and other more typical ones to shame. Get a nice big chunk of PVC pipe or other shelter, set it up so that the cat sits in it facing the front of the tank, and just watch him smiling out at the world while you putter around your fish room.

Thanks to OP for posting this thread; a wonderful blast from the past...

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Nice stories, thank you all so much. Wow 28" must be a record raised in captivity. They are so sedentary. I haven't provide a hiding place for mine and it seemed fine.

but then again I'm a catfish FREAK.

Says self-proclaimed half cichlid half child...

 

[Dovii kid]

Nice stories, thank you all so much. Wow 28" must be a record raised in captivity. They are so sedentary. I haven't provide a hiding place for mine and it seemed fine.


Says self-proclaimed half cichlid half child...

Taste buds change with age I guess. I believe I created this handle as a pre-pubescent kid trolling the old waterwolves and aquaticterrors forums. 20 years later havent bothered to change it.

 

[Killduv]

I wouldn't mind a few of those either, unfortunately illegal for me.

I had an apurensis over a decade ago before anyone really knew what they were. At that point think only a handful in the states had them. I really enjoyed him but then again I'm a catfish FREAK.

I know sadness. In Canada we can get all of the Arowana species. Snakehaeds are banned here in the province in which I reside. Other provinces can have them though.
I see they are great cats eat like pigs. I know the old days were great for tropical fish. I remember seeing a lot of odd stuff way back when .