My 16 yr old Catfish needs a name.

[Pebs225]

Well it needs identifying. I had a website a few yrs ago which identified it but lost the webpage. This catfish is 16+ yrs old living in a 30 gallon tank. He is approx 12" long. Nice brownish color on top with a whitish belly. It has 2 white whiskers on top of mouth and 4 similar ones on bottom. And one long blackish one on either side of mouth. Tried to get a full body shot but he wasn't cooperating. Did get small video w/no sound of him swimming. He loves to eat feeder goldfish and loves my 2 son's. Me he hates and tries to bite and attack me..LOL Any help is appreciated.

[MatsP]

I'm pretty certain it's a native North American species, probably

Ameiurus

, but can't say what species.

Of course, I could be wrong.

--
Mats

[Silurus]

I think it's

Chrysichthys furcatus

, or some other

Chrysichthys

.

More pics would be helpful.

[MatsP]

Would a Chrysichthys not have 6 barbels - I'm pretty sure there are four on top and four at the bottom of the face [sorry for not using technical terms - I can't be bothered to look it up]. This is what lead me towards the Native North Americans... Certainly the Anaspidoglanis I have only have 6 barbels - is there any family with a mixed number of barbels [aside from Siluridae where there is a Silurus from Greece or whatever that has 4 instead of 6...]

--
Mats

[Suckermouth]

A couple families have mixed barbel numbers. Bagridae also has mixed barbel numbers. Looking at some of the Chrysichthys it is clear they have 8 barbels, while Anaspidoglanis only have 6 as you say, so it looks like Claroteidae is in that same boat as well. In any case, I don't think it's an ictalurid.

[Silurus]

It might also be a

Hemibagrus nemurus

with very large eyes.

[Suckermouth]

It might also be a

Hemibagrus nemurus

with very large eyes.

This is a possibility if you consider the effect of stunting, which can change the way some things grow compared to others.

[Dalek Tzet]

I have no idea what it is, but that is defiantly no ameiurus. They eyes are too big, the head too small, and the barbels too long. I may be an armature to fish-keeping but I pull bullheads out of the water all day while fishing. The dorsal fin also is the wrong shape.

[sidguppy]

A couple families have mixed barbel numbers. Bagridae also has mixed barbel numbers. Looking at some of the Chrysichthys it is clear they have 8 barbels, while Anaspidoglanis only have 6 as you say, so it looks like Claroteidae is in that same boat as well. In any case, I don't think it's an ictalurid.

100% spot on!

not just Chrysichthys can have 8 barbels, but the small Lophiobagrus also have 8.
Phyllonemus has 6 (it's lacking the nasals), and Bathybagrus has only 4, unless you follow Seegers taxonomy.

he vieuws all Tanganyikan Chrysichthys as Bathybagrus species (for example like C sianenna); in wich Bathybagrus is a genus wich has 4 and 6 whiskered catfishes.

I think a picture wich shows the whole fish, including the tail from the side, is needed for a proper identification.

the serrated dorsal fin is strange. AFAIK no Chrysichthys has a serrated dorsal.
but the mouth is small and Hemibagrus has a fairly large mouth.

[Pebs225]

Sorry for not responding yesterday. I have a 10 mth old son and can't get on PC as much. I will try to get better pics of side view today. Thanks