Hyalobagrus flavus

[Yann]

Hi!

Well I was lucky to come across these...I really never stoped and gave a real look at these before...but they were available and after reading Heok He article on them, decided to give a go at these, and really must say that I am really pleased with them...really fun little cat...

From what HH said, they are no breeding report yet...do we have an idea on how they would spawn in the wild!
From what I could see a female doesn't carry a lot of eggs...so it would be pretty unlikely to be open water spawner...and since they live in planted area, would it be safe to assume that the spawn like in group but with a pair making a run in a very dense planted region, like in moss or something like that??
Any thoughts are welcome on how possibly iniciate a spawing behaviour for them!!!

Here a some pic of mine:






Cheers
Yann

[Birger]

Although gravid females (with large bluish green ova clearly visible) are regularly encountered

I could be way off here but I would make sure to also have floating plants or spawning mops as it would not surprise me to see that they would make a run into the plants as you say but possibly would run in and place individual eggs or groups of eggs, they seem to have larger eggs as opposed to scattering a large amount of small eggs.

Birger

[piggy4]

Wonderful pics Yann, i'd guess that they lay on plants ?

[Yann]

Hi!!

Yes they spend most of the time in the plants, they venture once in a while outside in the open, but prefer to stay most of the time where the plants are more furnished!! They are pretty hardy fish and not difficult to keep... breeding on the other hand would be quite a achievement
Cheers
Yann

[Jools]

They will take REALLY low pH. Like pH5 perhaps lower. So, I think dropping pH as low as you dare, getting temp up to about 84F and then doing the whole rainy season thing might be a good starting point. Although generally adaptable, they also respond very favourably to live foods - actually chasing them all over the tank.

Cheers,

Jools

[Yann]

Hi Jools!!
Thanks for the info, yes that was basically what I thought doing to induce spawning...well see how it will work!
Cheers
Yann

[Yann]

A quick update!!

The group is doing well and has grown up a bit since I have them...
Haven't place them in a specific tank yet to give a try at breeding but it is a few weeks away now...
I have noticed a well developped predatory behaviours from them, preying on smaller fish (fry) which makes me think that when in breeder tank I ll have to watch closely for them not to prey on their eggs and or young.
They also don't swim as compact as I would have thought, behave just like they have their own small territories and will tolerate much or less other congeners.
Cheers
Yann

[Yann]

Hi!!!

I have seen interesting behaviour from these...
I would guess I saw two males fighting eachother...
Swimming side by side...and giving each other side "kick" with front body and pectoral fins...
then facing each other and sort of rolling and spining together...
First time I witness such activity...they never behaved like that before, even if they could be slightly territorial toward eachother.

Cheers
Yann

[aquadreamz]

hey! i have some of these guys in my planted discus tank and they are doing great! i am sure i have both males and females, i can see what looks to be eggs in the females on occasion. Did you ever get them to breed? i think they do in my tank but i am sure the eggs get eaten. they like to hang out in the areas with dense plants.

[Yann]

Hi!!

Nope I never bred them, (or seen them breed) I wish but I hadn't had the time to concentrate on it.

I have lost them gradually since.

Cheers
Yann

[Richard B]

These are a super little fish - they were on offer for £1 each at the CAS auction earlier this month

[naturalart]

I'd like to echo that point. I've had mine for about a year now. At first I thought they might be sensitive little glass cat; might just shrivel up and wisp away. Once they 'established' they've proven to be tough as nails, withstanding my sometimes less-than-stellar representations as an aquarist. And I have them in with some much larger S. shoutedeni, they make sure to get thier food and stay out of harms way. Mine are active 24/7. Great little hover cats.

[nvcichlids]

I know this thread is old(er), but what size tank would be recommended for 6. I had gotten some in the past and they just disappeared ( in a 33 gallon XL (48"x12"x12") and I never found remains. I was wondering this because at our fish meeting this weekend there is someone there who keeps these and are still on my list of tiny catfish to attempt to breed. My issue right now is I only have my 8 gallon finnex tank available for set up (16" long x 8-10" deep by 12" tall(these dimensions are just estimates from memory.))

I really want to give them a go, but don't want to lose them all again without knowing what happened to them.

ALSO, would they house well with dario sp?

[Yann]

Hi!!

I kept mine in a 25 Gallons (US) tank
I think keeping 6 of them would be possible in a 10-14 Gallons (US) tank without a problem
The thing to be important is soft water and not too warm..
Cheers
Yann

[vladsbtch]

Hello, I just joined and I have 8 shadow cats ( Hyalobagrus flavus) in a ten gallon right now. I have had them about 2 months and I love them. They are always out and about I keep them in with some endlers and I have seen them go after the very small ones. I keep my ph at about 5.5 and the tank is well planted. These are great little fish. I like them because they do not always hide and I get to watch them when the lights are on. I am hoping to get them to breed.