neosilurus ater?

[stefjane]

Here is an extremely bad photo of my eeltailed catfish. I cannot find much information about Australian catfish, but from the few pictures that I have seen, maybe Kitty is a neosilurus ater? I just attached the photo so that you can kinda see his colour, his 'mottled' appearance.
Would anyone mind telling me at least how to tell the difference between silurus species until I (somehow) get a better picture of him/her?
Thank you in advance!

[MatsP]

There are a few species that are mottled:

Neosilurus ater

Tandanus tandanus

(when juvenile)

Porochilus rendahli

There are some other

Plotosidae

that may be mottled, but we don't have live pictures of them.

For the species listed above, there is some identification information - but I've never seen anything but pictures of the fish, so I have no additional information above and beyond what the pages say.

--
Mats

[stefjane]

Thanks for you help I can't see much difference between them lol
But Kitty does kind of look like a Porochilus rendahli, at least I hope so, because they only get to 20cm

[MatsP]

So, reading the identification section, the head shape and eye-position should be significant identification points. Try to see how they compare between the pictures of the other species...

--
Mats

[Viktor Jarikov]

Just for clarity:

-- this fish is from Australia, right?
-- Which part?
-- Wild-caught or captive-bred?
-- If purchased, from where, how much and what the shop ID was?

Answers may help an expert (not me) help you. There are resident Aussies and Kiwies here, professionals (ichthyologists) and high level amatuers, amongst other sources of best help.

[stefjane]

I just assumed that he was from Australia, do eeltailed catfish live anywhere else but australasia? I have no idea if he was captive bred or wild caught. I purchased him at a pet store and I can't remember the label, it was probably just 'catfish' or something, and I can't remember the cost either, though he wouldn't have been more than $15. Haha, I'm not very much help am I?

[Silurus]

The concave head and nape profile suggests

Porochilus rendahli

.

[racoll]

Haha, I'm not very much help am I?

The best thing you could do is get some higher quality photos I think.

I also notice the catfish is hiding directly under the heater. If he does this a lot, then to avoid heater burns I would consider either getting a heater guard, or moving the heater and providing an alternative place to hide (such as a PVC pipe).

[stefjane]

I got him! Using my FABULOUS photography skills and...borrowing my mum's camera

I also notice the catfish is hiding directly under the heater. If he does this a lot, then to avoid heater burns I would consider either getting a heater guard, or moving the heater and providing an alternative place to hide (such as a PVC pipe).

Oh, the heater was just where he went to avoid having his picture taken. He loves hiding (very successfully) in his large java fern and there a large hollow driftwood that no one wants to use

[Silurus]

I still say

Porochilus rendahli

.

[stefjane]

Thanks for the confirmation
At least I know now that Kitty won't get too big

[racoll]

Great catfish. A lot of people on here will be very envious.

Aussies moan that they aren't allowed to keep all kinds of imported fishes, but nobody else in the world can get hold of these!

I did actually have an Australian plotosid once, that I bought in the UK over 17 years ago! I never saw them in any store since, and I never even found out what species it was. Sadly, I gave him away.

[yodapwnsasmurf]

its definitly a rendahls, i have a few, they are great but not as hardy as the tandanus and salmon cats.
how big is he?

[stefjane]

He's about 15cm now and growing. He's been pretty hardy for me He's survived low tank maintenance, an ich outbreak, as well as fighting/playing with Clown Loaches (they have retractable spines under their eyes so sometimes he was pretty scratched up!)
Kitty is easily my favourite fish in the tank, and I'm so glad that my tank is big enough for his/her adult size

[Firestorming]

I never knew that these were hard to get overseas plenty of other Aussie animals are for sale world wide.

Are they not an allowable import o/s or is it my end again that will not let them pass the borders.

Here is a random selection of native for sale here (none are mine all off a website):

black tandanus (ater) catfish 5 of them $90 over 20cm + in length.

Mangrove Jack 50cm - $280
Barramundi 45cm - $60
Eel Tail Catfish 45cm - $100
Sleepy Cod 45cm - $130
Goldern Perch 45cm - $100
Bullrout 30cm - $100
Red Scat 25cm - $120
Cod 60cm - $250 (not a murray)

saratoga Jardini for sale 25cm $110

LONGTOMS 20-40CMS $150EA
JADE PERCH 8-12CMS $20EA $20ea
SILVER PERCH 7CMS $10ea
Golden perch 10cms+ $20e.
BARTAIL GRUNTERS 6-10CMS $20EA
TOOTHLESS CATFISH RARE 25CMS $90EA SOLD
PRIMITIVE ARCHER FISH RARE 8-10CMS $30EA
HARDYHEADS 5CMS $7EA SOLD
SILVER SCATS 6CMS $15EA
SILVER SCATS 10CMS $30EA
SILVER SCATS 15CMS $50EA
RED SCATS 5-7CMS $15EA SOLD
SARATOGA JARDINI 20CMS $120ea SOLD
SOOTY GRUNTERS 8-10CMS $20EA
SLEEPY COD 35CMS $90ea
BULLROUTS AKA STONE FISH 5-8CMS $20EA
NIGRANS RAINBOW FISH 5CMS $8EA
MURRAY COD 8CMS $15EA
MURRAY COD 15-25CMS $30EA
BLACK TANDANUS CATFISH 10CMS $25ea
PURPLE SPOTTED GUDGEONS 6CMS $15ea
ARCHER FISH 6CMS $15ea
CHEQUERED RAINBOWS 8CMS $10ea
BUTIS BUTIS AKA CRAZY FISH 8CMS $20ea SOLD
SQUARE BLOTCH GOBIES 10-17CMS $40ea
TARPON 20CM $25ea
SPANGLE PERCH 10CMS $10ea
MOUTH ALMIGHTY 10CMS $15EA
TANDANUS CATFISH 20-30CMS $30EA
TANDANUS CATFISH 10CMS $15EA
GOLDEN EELTAIL CATS 10CMS $15EA
BUTLERS GRUNTERS 7CMS $20EA
RENDAHLS CATFISH 10cms $15ea
SPANGLE GUDGEONS 8CMS $30EA


I could go on, but you get the idea. I suppose one always wants what isnt on their doorstep.

[MatsP]

I could go on, but you get the idea. I suppose one always wants what isnt on their doorstep.

It would seem so. Shane wrote somewhere that in Colombia and Venezuela, the most popular fishes are things like Goldfish and Clown loach.

--
Mats

[Shaun]

Definently P. rendahli. Nice specimen

Aussies moan that they aren't allowed to keep all kinds of imported fishes, but nobody else in the world can get hold of these!

Very true, native fish seem to be among the worst sellers at aquarium shops in Australia. I'm a member of ANGFA, pretty sad to see a lack of interest in our native fish, everyone wants L-Numbers or whatever. Been getting into local natives recently, easy to keep outdoors, better then goldfish.
Shaun