Canero / Cetopsis Tiger

[The.Dark.One]

I have 25 of these coming from Peru tomorrow. Other than they are probably a cetopsid, or if not a trichomycterid or even a heptapterid I haven't got a clue what they will be!

[Suckermouth]

Well keep us posted!

[Marc van Arc]

Could well be an Eremophilus species.

[pturley]

I am 90%+ confident that this is what you'll get.

Pseudostegophilus nemurus

EDIT: But a Eremophilus spp. would be MUCH cooler!

[nvcichlids]

cannot wait to see pictures!

[Silurus]

I am 90%+ confident that this is what you'll get.

Pseudostegophilus nemurus

One of these is bad enough. Twenty-five would be an absolute nightmare.

[The.Dark.One]

Yeah, they are the main contender I suppose. And yes, what a nightmare!

[sidguppy]

shame, really

there are well over 50 Trichomycterid species that are non parasitic and suitable for the home aquarium, and the exporters pick an obligate parasite just because it probably "looks pretty".

FAIL

[Martin S]

Steve
Talk about a species only tank!

What will you do if they are the obligate parasite suggested?

I hope they aren't - it would be difficult to allow them to feed naturally (not that you'd have a choice) without watching another fish suffer. I've fed large predators live feeders before, so do not have any issues with it, but this is a feeding style that I have not seen before.
Martin

[The.Dark.One]

Hi
I will be in a dilemma. I am against cruelty to animals but watching something starve due to taking a punt would also be cruel. I'm leaning towards trying to get them to take 'dead' meat but I know that might be impossible.
I'll post later and let you know what they are.

[Martin S]

Totally understand - here's hoping they turn out to be something else.
Martin

[Richard B]

Steve - in situations like this i have found that using a fish head with the gill covers removed(fresh as possible)can be an ethical & viable alternative. The fish i have used is rainbow trout). This can cost you a fortune but it is worth "befriending" the person on the fish counter at your local supermarket/small independant store as this can prove a great source of free/negligible cost specific food.

[Silurus]

Since it feeds on mucus/scales, I don't see how using a fish head would help. Plus, these are pretty voracious little critters. I kept one a long time ago, and it would regularly strip a similar-sized koi of all scales on the body in one night.

[sidguppy]

I too have experience with such a fish.
not intended though!

in my case it was Ochmacanthus spp, but the feeding behaviour was the same

when I took it home I was convinced that all parasitic Trichomycterids were transparant or silvery;
making them hard to spot when attached to the fish.
I knew Vandellia (seen pictures0 and had kept Tridensimilis (wich preyed on anything bigger than it in the tank!) so I expected this nicely colored wee fishy to behave like Trichomycterus spp or Itiglanis spp wich I had kept before

I was unfortunately very very wrong

I released the little squirt in my big showtank......back then that tank had mostly catfishes and some characins, the showcases were a pair of Pterodoras granulosus, but there were some smaller synodontis, Erpetoichthys eels, a group of Pareutropius buffei, some Hoplosternums, a bit of this and that.

that little terror attacked ALL. and would even harass the huge one-and-a-half foot Pterodoras so much in plain daylight that the big catfish went zooming through the tank, trying to escape the little pest.
it also could keep up with Pareutropius and nibble their heads and back.

it ate ANYTHING on any fish; bits of fins, scales, mucus from scale-less catfishes, you name it

no amount of feeding with bloodworms would help (it helps with Tridensimilis!), it refused any food except stuff that was still on a live fish.

in the end I had a tank full of fish that looked like they were sandblasted and very very unhappy.

fortunately I knew where the Tiny terror would bury itself and I took a big finely meshed net and scooped him up with a lot of sand in 1 quick move and put him in a small tank of its own

there he slowly starved to death. anything i tried, even parts of fresh market fish with skin attached, he refused.
in the end I switched off the heater and once it was torpid with cold I ended its life.
it would never had a happy life.

these are not suitable for the hobby, they should be left where they are; in the wild.
I'm convinced it's not just smell or something, but the movement of the prey that will attrack them.

these scale and mucus feeders are very fast, they watch upward (eyes are on top) and/or use other senses and as soon as anything swims by, they "pop up" out of the substrate, lightning speed, attach themselves and rasp.

if Pseudostegophilus is anything like Ochmacanthus -and I think they're very close in both feeding habits and behaviour- do not keep them.

[Richard B]

Since it feeds on mucus/scales, I don't see how using a fish head would help.

the head does seem to hold some mucus whereas the bodies of trout sold for human consumption seem quite devoid of mucus - this may not be sufficient though? At least it seems that way if i prepare whole fish

- Sorry my bad - i mistakenly thought that they would need attracting to the intended food item & the exposeed gills of a fresh fish corpse might accomplish this.

I should have checked more thoroughly & not been misled by the use of cetopsis in the title

[The.Dark.One]

Phew!!! Thankfully they are (IMO) an Ituglanis species.

My friend has an Ituglanis that I thought was I. metae, but to me these two are different. The markings are different, the base colour (although these new ones are a little washed out after their long journey!), the dorsal fin, and the caudal fin.

What I thought was I. metae: http://www.scotcat.com/thedarkone/trich ... _metae.jpg

The ones that have arrived today:

[sidguppy]

that's Ituglanis metae, or its' twin brother

THIS is the fish that we've kept for almost a decade; the oldest went down when it ewas over 8 years old...

I'd go insane on any chance of getting them!
you're very very lucky

how many you managed to get?

this is one of THE funniest SA catfishes to keep.

[The.Dark.One]

Hi
If the fish in the photo is I. metae, what is the one in my photo in the link? To me they are two different species, based on the differences in my last post.

I have 25 although 5 have been ordered already!

[Yann]

Hi Steven!!!

I am so jealous...I am after Trichomycteridae fish for such a long time and they are so hard to get...
Lucky you!!
it is still very nice to see these fish coming once in a while!!
Cheers
Yann

[Stuey]

Hi All,

So, Dark One, from info I have read these are aquarium friendly non parasitic fish?

Really nice looking, definitely an interesting fish to keep and observe.

I am just across the border in West Yorks, are any of these fish still available, could you advise on price etc?

Many thanks
Stuey

[The.Dark.One]

Hi Yann - yes they are nice. I'll be selling most of them I think.

Stuey - yes they are peaceful and non parasitic (at least not in aquariums). My friend has kept his with all sorts of fish, including small peacefull stuff, and had no trouble. Obviously anything small enough to fit into their mouths would be at risk but they have small mouths.

I'll be selling some at Castleford Aquarist Society's night auction next Wednesday (17/11/10). It starts at 7.30pm and is at The Albion Street WMC, Albion Street, Castleford - opposite bus station. Not sorted for definite yet but will probably be about £6 each. There may also be some young Acanthicus adonis, Papa Panaques, what appears to be L122, and possibly Tatia gyrina amongst other stuff.

[Martin S]

That's great news Steve. Interesting looking fish too.

Tatia gyrina

Oh why don't you live closer!
Martin

[Richard B]

If i can make it to the auction do you want anything Martin? - can't guarantee i can be there but i'm working on it

[MatsP]

I will be going to the auction - I have tanks to pick up, so I'd better... ;)

--
Mats

[Yann]

Hi Yann - yes they are nice. I'll be selling most of them I think.

I'll be selling some at Castleford Aquarist Society's night auction next Wednesday (17/11/10). It starts at 7.30pm and is at The Albion Street WMC, Albion Street, Castleford - opposite bus station. Not sorted for definite yet but will probably be about £6 each. There may also be some young Acanthicus adonis, Papa Panaques, what appears to be L122, and possibly Tatia gyrina amongst other stuff.

I wish I lived closer also...both Ituglanis and Tatia would have been nice...as I have one lone Tatia gyrina male at home...

Cheers
Yann

[sidguppy]

as soms advice to buyers:

highly recommended fish!
if all you ever kept were callichthyds, tatia's, pleco's and all; this is a whole different ballgame.

they can be compared best to very peaceful loaches and catfishes like Helogenes, Amphilius and the like.

however there are a few things you should know

first:
wood is useful in catfish tanks, but in this case it's of little use (!); these really like to crawl through and hide in dense vegetation!

in this they are exactly like Helogenes; thisvegetation doesn't need to be on the bottom either. any "bush bush" in the tank is greatly appreciated.
dense rootwork of Pistia, large plants of Hygrophila spp, moss, fields of Echinodorus, Anubias, javaferns etc.
the fish will "drill through" the plants and rest completely tied up within the plants.

second: this species should NOT be kept alone as it is a highly social species. single individuals are sorry poor fishies.
they can even pine away when kept single.
with 4 or 5,you will see them and at feeding times or in the evening they will zoom over the bottom and go right up if you have a backpanelor sidepanels in your tank

for example: these were THE most efficient stealers of Hoplosternum eggs I have ever seen and kept, and Hoplo-nests float......

third: a fair bit of currentis appreciated, more important isthat oxygenlevels shouldbe adequate.
it might look like a Dojo- or Weatherloach, but oxygen demands are much more like those of Chiloglanis, Pimelodella or Amphilius.
it's not a true rheophile, but it's the next best thing:D

fourth:
moderate temperature! it doesn't need to be kept cool (it is a tropical fish), but 22-25'C is best. don't put them in with the Altums or Discus at 28-30'C; you'll loose the fish.

it is very very peaceful. can be kept with small Corydoras, Centromochlus etc.
do NOT keep with Spiny Eels for example; those will see this "eel" as a competitor and harass it and damage it.
careful with very territorial cichlids, the nastier kind of Syno's etc.
with Hoplo's, pleco's, auchenipteridae, pimelodus etc this is a perfect match.


careful with netting!!!!!
a coarse mazed net will get the fish completely entangled; the spiny operculums get stuck and you'll end up killing the fish to get it out.
it can and does crawl out of a finely meshed net! it can use the spinypads on the gills to crawl and the speed is not to be underestimated. once on the floor itis under a big cupboard before you know it

yes I have been on my knees head wedged on the floor 1 on 1 with Ituglanis
the fish cameout fine,butit kept me busy for 15 minutes or so.
these are the guys that invented agility.
they can stop, turn, salto and whirl on a nickle


they accept all regular food and good quality flake is relished.
bloodworms, daphnia, tubifex, mysis, fine powderfood, smallgranules; allis accepted.
careful nottooverfeed: it's glutton
overfed fish look like very pretty hot dog sausages

have fun with em; HIGHLY recommended!

[Martin S]

If i can make it to the auction do you want anything Martin? - can't guarantee i can be there but i'm working on it

I will be going to the auction - I have tanks to pick up, so I'd better... ;)

--
Mats

Thanks Richard and Mats

Well, I was hoping Mats would see if there were still some C.reticulatus as Pier, though if not, am more than happy to 'make do' with a trio of T.gyrina (1M, 2F if possible), on the assumption Steve decides to sell them, and has three. I did PM Neil at Pier but got no response, but will PM Steve re: prices/availability, and go from there.
As always, thanks guys
Martin

[Marc van Arc]

Steve, did you get them from the Peru Aquarium Group?

[CoryWally]

Martin,
Pretty sure the Tatias are being offered by a friend of Steve's, although they came in on the same shipment. It may be difficult to sex fish in the heat of the auction but I'm sure the experts on hand will do their best!

Cheers,
Mark.
p.s. see any of you there at the CAS auction next Wednesday.

[MatsP]

I should point out that the auction I plan to be at is the CSG auction on Sunday, not the Castleford Auction on Wednesday evening.

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Mats