Silurus Merdionalis thread

[wednesday13]

That’s interesting. Maybe I’ve seen misidentified Soldotovs. They’re so scarce that I doubt all pics on goggle are correct Id. I’ve come to the conclusion we are looking at two sp. at least. They’re a multiple Silurus sp. that call China home, and multiple farms which house these so for culinary purposes. We need more photos. I doubt there are any more that can give us more solid id.

Agreed, hard to dig up anything definitive across the board. Same pics come up when searching different names. When u start getting close, theres nothing in english and its pics of larger specimen being caught by fishermen… be nice if someone gave an update on the last batch that came in looking similar to these guys.

 

[jjohnwm]

Experienced keepers standing in front of well-lit aquariums consistently disagree upon the identification of this (and many other) species. Considering the number of times that a Google search has turned up fantastic information and pics..."fantastic" in this case referring to "originating in the world of fantasy!"...I wonder why we even bother sometimes.

I especially like those pics of exceptionally massive specimens, sometimes long dead and sitting in the sun, othertimes a blurry top view of some big grey squirmy thing in a net, and still others with a smiling fisherman who has one hand thrust deep into the gills, another supporting the distended belly of an oversized fish and his fishing rod clenched in his teeth. Those pics prove one thing: the guy caught a big fish. Assigning an identification right down to the species level with evidence like that is...well, it's fantastic!

 

[Mitchell The Monster]

The new one died the same night. Spoke to rod, they’re going to get more in so I’m getting 3 specimens next time and will raise separate to good size and have a blast documenting their progression!

 

[surfermike915]

Two years old!

Here he is now more than two years later. Tank upgrade coming soon, after I move.

 

[Monstermikefishkeeper]

Well, this is rough:

I recently moved. I thought I planned everything out well. Welp I was wrong. I spent nearly 48 hours awake running off fumes and fish water. I lost many large fish with my large 18.5" silurus included in that along my duo of piraiba and my 16" aimara. It hurts alot. But as an athlete, I love the metaphorical example that if you get injured, you don't get all down and out feeling bad for yourself, yes maybe for a bit, but rehab and working back your health is what the focus should shift to. I felt bad for a while as someone who is a caretaker for these beautiful creatures, but I did all that I could. Time to start over and do it right.


This thread is not over.

The new one died the same night. Spoke to rod, they’re going to get more in so I’m getting 3 specimens next time and will raise separate to good size and have a blast documenting their progression!

How has it been going?

 

[surfermike915]

So recently I have been looking through many videos, pictures from importers I know, and biologists for the difference between Silurus m, and Silurus A. So after really looking at my old large specimen vs others, I have noticed many differences.

Starting off with head width. If we look at mine, we see the head; Yes, it is relatively wide but compared to some others such as Mitch's old one, we see that one in my opinion looked much more like a miniature glanis. Almost like it had a compressed body as well.

Now I believe what I had was a Meridionalis due to body length, marbling, and eye placement. But now this proposes the question when Mitch said the singular specimen, he bought was different then his old one, were we looking at two different species or maybe sub species. *****(also small specimens from last year that had 6 barbels, not 4)***** Silurus are such a hardy fish, I have *heard* they have found there are S. Glanis in Spain that are genetically different than those in say Eastern Europe. The Yangtze which Meridionalis calls home is vast. It is the third longest river in the world and its tributaries are vast. So there definitely is possibility that there is a differing sub specie but let's not head to conclusions just yet. Another point on this topic is common mislabeling. Even my favorite person to source rare fish from, Wes Wong, changes the label of the scientific name when selling them. Check out his newest list and you will see

The next point I would like to make is that there seems to be a large difference when it comes to the depression from the back area where we see a large amount of fat/muscle stored in these species down towards the head. If you take a look at Viktors Chinese Wels, you will see that. This evidence is not even what I would consider evidence. It may do to the fact his was larger than mine allowing for more development for the species. True Wels catfish at a foot or two vs three feet OBVIOUSLY look very different. Maybe this is all very out there, I know... but iI still am having trouble believing we are getting true Meridionalis.

I have just ordered two "meridionalis" and have pictures from Rod when I texted him. Here they are. These fish look awfully similar to mine when it was young. Very nice protruding jaw with those nice teeth poking out.


More on this to come. Just wanted to get input from you guys. I am most likely 90% wrong but I don't know.

These are pictures I found:
Couldn’t find source for credit

Here’s the one I have coming:

 

[Mitchell The Monster]

So recently I have been looking through many videos, pictures from importers I know, and biologists for the difference between Silurus m, and Silurus A. So after really looking at my old large specimen vs others, I have noticed many differences.

Starting off with head width. If we look at mine, we see the head; Yes, it is relatively wide but compared to some others such as Mitch's old one, we see that one in my opinion looked much more like a miniature glanis. Almost like it had a compressed body as well.

Now I believe what I had was a Meridionalis due to body length, marbling, and eye placement. But now this proposes the question when Mitch said the singular specimen, he bought was different then his old one, were we looking at two different species or maybe sub species. *****(also small specimens from last year that had 6 barbels, not 4)***** Silurus are such a hardy fish, I have *heard* they have found there are S. Glanis in Spain that are genetically different than those in say Eastern Europe. The Yangtze which Meridionalis calls home is vast. It is the third longest river in the world and its tributaries are vast. So there definitely is possibility that there is a differing sub specie but let's not head to conclusions just yet. Another point on this topic is common mislabeling. Even my favorite person to source rare fish from, Wes Wong, changes the label of the scientific name when selling them. Check out his newest list and you will see

The next point I would like to make is that there seems to be a large difference when it comes to the depression from the back area where we see a large amount of fat/muscle stored in these species down towards the head. If you take a look at Viktors Chinese Wels, you will see that. This evidence is not even what I would consider evidence. It may do to the fact his was larger than mine allowing for more development for the species. True Wels catfish at a foot or two vs three feet OBVIOUSLY look very different. Maybe this is all very out there, I know... but iI still am having trouble believing we are getting true Meridionalis.

I have just ordered two "meridionalis" and have pictures from Rod when I texted him. Here they are. These fish look awfully similar to mine when it was young. Very nice protruding jaw with those nice teeth poking out.


More on this to come. Just wanted to get input from you guys. I am most likely 90% wrong but I don't know.

Thanks for taking to time to write out such a well thought out response. It’s definitely something to think about. Also the second picture with the specimen above a man’s finger is actually my pic lol

Well, this is rough:

I recently moved. I thought I planned everything out well. Welp I was wrong. I spent nearly 48 hours awake running off fumes and fish water. I lost many large fish with my large 18.5" silurus included in that along my duo of piraiba and my 16" aimara. It hurts alot. But as an athlete, I love the metaphorical example that if you get injured, you don't get all down and out feeling bad for yourself, yes maybe for a bit, but rehab and working back your health is what the focus should shift to. I felt bad for a while as someone who is a caretaker for these beautiful creatures, but I did all that I could. Time to start over and do it right.


This thread is not over.

I’m sorry for your losses. I still haven’t mustered up the courage to buy another one yet. We will both be back stronger than ever!

 

[surfermike915]

New guy has grown into a little beast. I am heating tank as last time I didn’t heat it so it is currently around 74-76 which is in my opinion a nice warmer gradient temperature for this time of year in the northern hemisphere. Will upload pictures soon

 

[wednesday13]

surfermike915 … check this guys stock/vids out on intsa @legend_ka2
Seems to have quite a Silurus collection. i thought he had a bunch of asotus until i started translating the posts and searching names.

Biwakoo catfish- S. Biwaensis
Taniga catfish- S. Tomodai
Iwatoko namazu- S. Lithophilus

Sooo… 3 more species to add to the list of possibilities of what makes it to the US. Keep trying to find a post of his with S. Asotus or S. Meridionalis. The S. Biwaensis is prob the easiest to id with its portruding bottom lip.