Slobbering Catfish (B. platynemum) Grow out

ptgabrys

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Aug 9, 2017
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Hey everyone,

Figured I should start this thread after noticing there's not too many other threads out there on these amazing catfish. I just received a ~4" one this past Wednesday; however, after close inspection in the tank following a 4hour drip acclimation, I noticed one eye was missing. I sent many pics and videos to the supplier and he did not hesitate to offer sending another one on him for not seeing this before he sent it out. That's awesome customer service, and now I'm expecting my second one to get here on Tuesday! So this thread will be following the growth of these two slobbering cats.

The one-eyed slobbering cat (who I have decided to call Wazowski) has been in a 40gal breeder since Wednesday and started eating bloodworms the first night! After reading the other threads on mfk about these cats, I was fully expecting him to not accept anything but live, and even then not begin eating at least for a few days after acclimation. But after that wonderful surprise, I decided to try breaking up some Hikari sinking carnivore pellets and dropped them in not even 24hr after being placed in the tank, and he ate them right away!!

In the short amount of time that I have had him, he has been so interesting to watch and just out right awesome! He swims in the current from the wavemaker all day long and seems to be very happy. He's sharing the tank with a ~1" fogo, 3 young redhead geos and a B. rutilus (on the other side of the divider- same one from this thread which I will be updating in the next couple days https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/new-goonch-b-rutilus.727239/)

I cannot wait for the second platynemum to come on Tuesday and I pray he adjusts just as Wazowski did, which as far as I understand isn't the norm for species of Brachyplatystoma.

Hope you guys enjoy this thread!
1 (wazowski).JPG
2(wazowski).JPG
 

Blakewater

Aimara
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Apr 27, 2018
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Very nice! Good luck with them as they seem to not last long in many aquariums. Whats he going into long term as an adult?
 
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ptgabrys

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Aug 9, 2017
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Pennsylvania
Very nice! Good luck with them as they seem to not last long in many aquariums. Whats he going into long term as an adult?
Thank you! Yeah i’ve gotten that impression as well, a slow growth rate and high susceptibility to stress definitely doesn’t help, but I’m feeling good with this one considering it’s already eating pellets.. And it will eventually go into a 180. When, depends on how quickly it grows
 

ptgabrys

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Aug 9, 2017
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158
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Pennsylvania
Well, I hate to have to report this, but the second platynemum that arrived on Tuesday morning died during drip acclimation. He wasn't quite as active in the bag as Wazowski was, but the process I used to acclimate both was exactly the same. The temp difference between the water in the bag and the tank water was 10 degrees, just like it was with Wazowski, so I planned on drip acclimating again for 4-5 hours. Well, about 3 hours in I went to check on him and he was sitting motionless on the bottom of the bucket, I reached in and that was when I realized that at some point between then and the beginning of acclimation he had passed. It's such a shame, but this result seems more common after transportation for Brachyplatystoma than my apparent goodluck with Wazowski.

He was such a beautiful fish, I wish I could've saved him.
3(dead.JPG
 
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