Striped Raphael Catfish

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I Know this thread is getting old, but I see my raphs everyday. Each one was bought as a "rescue" when I was running the LFS but other people kept throwing them into the orders after I had called them finished.. They were hard to sell if I wasn't there to show them to people..
Anyways. My 3 raphs have caves built for cichlids. Slate, rocks, etc. Nicely shaded, lots of plants, lots of waterflow. I can usually spot one or two when I'm just looking but when I feed them I see all three because they come out in the light even to eat. They aren't starved, I worry about them overeating with those big bellies.
Each one took about a year to stop hiding. The littlest one still hides in his log a lot but as the others start swimming for food so does he (had him about 10 months).
The biggest one is about 6 inches and I've had him, I think 2 years. The first year I had to check hides once a week to make sure he was alive. Now when he hears my footsteps he comes out to the caves hoping I'm feeding.
Maybe this is more due to the fact I'm usually the only person who goes in that room. All of my fish know ME. My husband is the only other person in the house and he only occasionally goes near any of the tanks. I also feed by hand so they associate me directly with food.
Hm, guess I'm just babbling. I see mine a lot though, and I adore them. I still get excited when I see all three at once and I can't wait to move them to a bigger tank with more hides. (currently they are in a 45g long)
I still expect to see them regularly. ;)
 
My spotted are the shy ones, I don't usually see them unless its light out and they think I'm not there

My stripped trio though bigger than norm (8"+) are always patrolling the tank if they think I'm around, they're definely not shy as they do like the security of their caves though they will check in their caves and then come back out.

I know of someone's stripped that's so shy and his spotted group are the outgoing ones.

So I'll just say its a hit and miss.
 
They hide almost all day....cool cats but not too active. Ive had mine over 3 years and its a good 8in. He started eating massivore and grew much faster. He hangs in my bichir pile :)
 
I see my striped pair (about 6yrs) every day. They've learned the vibration of me closing the lid to their tank and come out in a blaze of glory to get to their food. I've been interested in doing a gentle three tap method, then feeding, to see if that will get them out as well. They're comical fatties, I love them to death.

I honestly see them out with the lights on several times a day.
 
Mine comes out every two days to eat. He cruses the bottom of the tank for about 5 mins gobbles up about 3 or 4 Massavour pellets and then disappears back into his hole for another two days. Very cool looking fat cat.
 
The older they get the more active they become. My gnarled gray one comes out every night, while my younger white one still hides.
 
i have got one for a few months now. he about 2.5 inches. i never see him out. i actually have to move deco around once in a while just to make sure he still alive. lol
 
knifegill;4989180; said:
The older they get the more active they become. My gnarled gray one comes out every night, while my younger white one still hides.
Click to expand...

Tell that to my spotted ones, all are over 10 years old lol.
 
The example in this thread is the first I've ever heard of a day-active spotted. Many striped raphaels have been known to become familiar with their surroundings and emerge for feedings, but spotteds are definitely more secretive. I only see my spotted when I vacuum his cave out once a week. He hates me for that and often changes where he's holed up. :D


Koyote, try feeding your raph through a piece of hard tubing (clear is best so you know it's clean when you're done). The raph should learn to chase the tube around for food once he hears you flick it.
 
i have 2 that are a bit over 9" i got them when they were an inch.. they eat smelt every other day.. i see mine only because they have no cave to hide in. i have a stump they stay around,but when i feed they are like sharks
 
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