One of my 12" aluminum cats is gone...

[Viktor Jarikov]

I rescued him 2.5 years ago. He was about 6" and had only remnants of fins and the spines were like small bumps/knuckles, all beat up, thin, and half-alive. 2.5 years in my ponds did him good. He grew a lot reaching the size, the girth, and the strength of a bullhead. Here he is a year ago (I think he is the darker one in these pics) at about 10": http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... =+aluminum

IDK if the tail was torn off before or after his passing but with the tail, his total length would be a touch over 1'.

Never was able to ID the species. If anyone has ID thoughts please share. He does exhibit two colors - goldish and silverish.

[Viktor Jarikov]

...

[Viktor Jarikov]

Looks like

Chrysichthys nigrodigitatus

, especially like the only older fish in photo #3. If it is, too bad he has not reached 2'-2.5'.

[Viktor Jarikov]

I became rather positive that my 2' jau had killed him, as today he killed one of my juruense in the same fashion - I saw the jur half-way-in in his mouth. Had to move him out asap. Have not really observed the jau well in a long while (hard to see in that pond plus jau's strictly nocturnal). I thought he was smaller.

[Viktor Jarikov]

It's one of these jurs, the "easy one" that took the dead foods early: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... ht=guppies

He used to be getting roughed up (just a bit) by the other one, the "stubborn one". But lately he decided enough's enough and started really digging into the stubborn jur in my 120 gal (both are ~10", about the same built). So he went to the pond and lasted 2 days. Much saddened by this loss and it's my fault, of course.

The one closer to the viewer: