PlanetCatfish.com

BTW: could any of the Mods tell me what happened to the second picture of the post dated Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:47 am?
It should have two pictures....

Marc,

Looks like a nice fish.

Whilst I don't doubt your ability to recognise species of Auchenipteridae, is this species actually exported from Peru? It is a long way from Guyana's costal rivers... I'm not saying you're wrong. [And there's certainly no Glanidium at all listed from Peru in Fishbase... Or in the Amazon for that matter.]

Any chance you know (or can find out) where it actually came from?

--
Mats

MatsP wrote: Whilst I don't doubt your ability to recognise species of Auchenipteridae, is this species actually exported from Peru? It is a long way from Guyana's costal rivers...

Indeed quite a distance. When I look at the fish I'm pretty confident I've got the correct name, so I reckon the sales name must be incorrect.
I'll try to find out where it originated from, but the wholesaler isn't very communicative in this respect. Moreover, I'll have to do so via my LFS, as I can't contact the wholesaler directly.

Marc van Arc wrote:

MatsP wrote: Whilst I don't doubt your ability to recognise species of Auchenipteridae, is this species actually exported from Peru? It is a long way from Guyana's costal rivers...

Indeed quite a distance. When I look at the fish I'm pretty confident I've got the correct name, so I reckon the sales name must be incorrect.
I'll try to find out where it originated from, but the wholesaler isn't very communicative in this respect. Moreover, I'll have to do so via my LFS, as I can't contact the wholesaler directly.

Sure, I understand. It is either an incorrect sales name, or perhaps it's an undescribed species??

--
Mats

MatsP wrote:perhaps it's an undescribed species??

I certainly don't hope so. I already have too many undescribed species

I'll try to make some better pictures once it has settled in. May take some time; until now I could only "catch" it with a flashlight - for a very brief period.

MatsP wrote:Any chance you know (or can find out) where it actually came from?

The LFS person contacted the wholesaler today, but wasn't able to raise the question for he couldn't get hold of the right person.
However, what he did find out was that there were no more specimens at the moment, but that "they" came in quite regularly. On his remark that he'd never seen them listed before, the spokes person said: you're talking about Tatia, right? According to the LFS she sounded as if she wanted to suggest there is just one Tatia species.
Never mind. I'll keep checking the list and in case anything pops up I'll just have to gamble and order some.
No more T. galaxias btw

After MONTHS, no...COUPLE YEARS of NOT being able to find Auchenipterichthys coracoideus (Zamora Woodcat) I FOUND THEM!!!

I bought 6 last night I'm so excited hehe

But get this...the guy at the LFS cracked me up...
So this is what I learned from him:

Zamora is their Latin name (when the word Zamora is clearly NOT Latin) He INSISTED that it was their Latin name even when I tried to argue...

PLUS They are CLOSELY related to discus (this I learned from another employee at the same place while waiting)
So when I got home, I went to check it out...
This is a discus & Zamora
Kingdom: Animalia - multicellular organisms
Phylum: Chordata - cats, dogs, hamsters, monkeys, and humans (omg I'm related to my fish!)
Class: Actinopterygii - ray-finned fishes with nearly 30,000 species in this class.
And here is where we go our separate ways:
Order: Perciformes (discus) and Zamora: Siluriformes

Thought ya'd all like a little sunday morning humour ;) I'm off to check on my new found friends!! They are in quarantine (ie: rubbermaid with a filter) Makes my total up to 14!! I am hoping now with so many they will feel much more secure about schooling and come out more often. It appears all the new ones are indeed female...*sigh* but that's ok...at least I got some more and I know I have at least ONE male in my originals. And being my favourite fish I honestly don't mind. Pictures to follow soon!

So this is what I learned from him:

Zamora is their Latin name (when the word Zamora is clearly NOT Latin) He INSISTED that it was their Latin name even when I tried to argue...

PLUS They are CLOSELY related to discus (this I learned from another employee at the same place while waiting)
So when I got home, I went to check it out...
This is a discus & Zamora
Kingdom: Animalia - multicellular organisms
Phylum: Chordata - cats, dogs, hamsters, monkeys, and humans (omg I'm related to my fish!)
Class: Actinopterygii - ray-finned fishes with nearly 30,000 species in this class.
And here is where we go our separate ways:
Order: Perciformes (discus) and Zamora: Siluriformes

Yikes, what a moron. You don't need a PhD to realise that catfish and cichlids are pretty different. See what he says when you tell him that a koi carp is more closely related to a woodcat than a discus (which it is).

I dread to think what he tells people that are just setting up their first tank.

If I had found fishes I've been klooking for for years, I would not mind listening to this nonsens. Congratulations

Still, Racoll is right, if he tells this, beware of the rest of this highly educated gentlemans knowledge

oh hehe I was trying sooo hard not to laugh he was trying to educate me on these wonderful fish and I tried to tell him they are my favourite fish and I already have several! hehe
I'm just excited to have more!! If they still have some by next payday...I might go get more because they are RARELY found in town!!! I have an empty 75 gal now...hmmmm

Next time you should tell him you did some research and found out discus are actually dogs, which indicates that Zamoras are clearly parrots.
Seriously, let him make a fool of himself; you know best. Furthermore I should compliment you on your ability not to laugh .

Update on my new Zamoras There are 6...and all females...they are SOOOO tiny compared to my originals!!! But they are all out and swimming around more now as there is I think 14? LOL lost count!!! they eat a LOT though!!!!! it's amazing how much food they pack away!! i'm going to buy some live shrimp for them as they really seem to enjoy hunting as all my pencilfish and tetras have disappeared quite quickly!!! Hopefully photos to follow soon!!

Angelface23 wrote:Update on my new Zamoras There are 6...and all females...they are SOOOO tiny compared to my originals!!!

You'll find that they'll be as large as your originals in no time.
How tiny are they? For that might be the reason why they all seem females at the moment. The male papilla starts to develop from adolescence onwards.

exactly...but they are about 3 or so inches already...they are a bit pale still too.
but are getting along very well and of course eating very well! I'll try and have some photos up

Have the big ones started getting their distinctive circular shape not unlike a dinner plate yet? It will be cool when you breed them they will eat slime off of the parents and everything.

It never ceases to amaze me how stupid some people are that work in LFS. In my local chain store LFS there is a girl there on a saturday that has no clue what she is doing which is really cool because she gets the prices mixed up which can turn out quite advantageous if you just allow her to price up magnum plecs as rainbow fish or whatever it was,, she is after all, the expert.
Oh I'm so naughty
Bargain.
By the way I am currently sick to the back teeth of woodcats, someone come and take mine away from me, please.
Matt

grokefish wrote:By the way I am currently sick to the back teeth of woodcats, someone come and take mine away from me, please.

How come??

Just the amount of care and finance that is involved with them as compared to the amount of times the fish actually come out.
It is awfully frustrating.
Matt

grokefish wrote:Just the amount of care and finance that is involved with them as compared to the amount of times the fish actually come out.
It is awfully frustrating.

Being elusive is the first nature of many Auchenipterids. Liosomadoras spp. are true professionals in that respect.
The fact that you've spent so much time (and money) to get them and that they don't reward that by showing up more often is probably the cause for your disappointment.
Although I am very fond of Auchenipterids, in your case I can only say this: when it becomes frustrating, it's time to say goodbye to them.
For I don't want anyone's hobby to end because of frustration.

PS: I've been offered Liosomadoras morrowi and I think I won't get them because of the above reason.
PS2: and of course something much better is going to arrive shortly: Tetranematichthys!!

As it goes Marc the morrowi are the least shy of them all. they actually do come out and about under low level lighting, to hunt endlers livebearers, those fishys I do like. Any photos of them also do not do justice to their coloration when settled.
The real jags are the ones that have me pulling my hair out, they never, ever come out cept in complete darkness. So if I get rid of them I can just pretend they are still there and it won't make a toss of difference.
Matt

Here are the first pictures of my new Tetranematichthys wallacei.
As they have been through a lot recently, I didn't want to harrass them any further so I took pictures from the box and one tank shot.

Trio in box



Female



Male



Male in tank (typical pose)

Great looking fish Marc, keep us posted with your progress

Although they're not my thing, maidenhead oxford had some ageneiosus sp in yesterday at 2" that looked a little like brevis.

Richard B wrote:Great looking fish Marc, keep us posted with your progress

Of course they've only been with me for one day, but this is definitely a fish one has to get used to. The man who took care of them this weekend thought they were "spooky" because they didn't move at all. That is what they are supposed to do, I told him, it's their natural behaviour.
I must agree however that it is a strange sight: while all others are swimming around to grab some food, they just lie there on one side and don't move.
Luckily I found 2 of them in a different spot this morning, otherwise I would have been worried. It's also very hard to see them breathing. A fish you'd like to tap on now and again to see if it still reacts.
But don't worry, I didn't do so

Congratulations on your new acquisitions

"spooky" because they didn't move at all.

I get the comment "Dave, you have a dead fish" with my .

Thanks Dave.
It's a strange thing. My Tatias do it all the time - they are sometimes even lying on their back - but I'm not very used to this when larger Auchenipterids are concerned. Another difference is that Tetranematichthys is apparently not trying to hide. One of them has been lying unguarded against a piece of wood the whole day and it would have been more likely if it had crept into it - or at least attempted to do so.

Yesterday evening I saw them on the move for the first time. The two females were hovering near the surface. Of course all lights were already out, so I had to use the flash light. At first with a piece of red cloth, but that didn't show much.
I did away with subtleness, removed the red cloth and had a good look, especially because I also hadn't seen my 3 gentle giants (T. fisheri) for a while and with about 27 cms these can hardly be overlooked....
I saw one of them and the 2 Tetranematichthys girls. I'm feeding a lot of frozen foods these days to lure them to open water for I want to keep a close watch on them the first couple of days. After all, they have been through a lot lately plus I'd like to know which foods are prefered by them.
Probably more info after tonight. On the menu: krill pacifica.

The last two nights I've witnessed the following:
very shortly after lights out these fish can be seen hovering near the surface with their barbels pointed upwards. Apparently they skim the surface area in search of food. Contrary to Ageneiosids they don't cruise, but swim very calmly.
When aware of and/or annoyed by the flash light, they sink themselves until they bump into an object, get on one side and play dead again.
They are looking very good btw. I think they've adapted very quickly to the tank and don't expect problems with regard to health issues. However, I hope they'll become a bit more visible in the future.

Other news:
I've got juvies of two Tatia species; of course the T. intermedia and an "unknown" species, which could be T. perugiae or perhaps even Trachelyopterus sp. guyana. (which is not a Tatia, I know).

I may be able to order Liosomadoras morrowi, but am still not sure if I should do so. Price is no longer a negative factor, for I can get them from my LFS for half the price they charged me somewhere else in the Netherlands.
But if they are as greedy as L. oncinus, I don't think it's wise. To be honest, I'm thinking of getting out at least one of the oncinus because of their incredible appetite....
Could any of the morrowi keepers inform me how they behave with smaller (cat-)fishes? Perhaps one of the smaller tanks may be an option.

Every time I see this



they still scare me to death, although I should know better.

Btw: not talking about (the tail of) the Platystacus .

Here's a pic of one of my "dead"

Marc van Arc wrote:Could any of the morrowi keepers inform me how they behave with smaller (cat-)fishes? Perhaps one of the smaller tanks may be an option.

I still haven't seen it eat, but my L. morrowi is by far the fattest cat in the tank - it's HUGE. I think it preys on juvenile T. intermedia (I don't mind).