What the glass catfish isn't

Post by **Silurus** » 21 Jan 2013, 00:29

...is K. minor.

This is the real K. minor:

This is the glass catfish of the aquarium trade:

See the differences?

Post by **Birger** » 21 Jan 2013, 01:13

The obvious one is the chromatophores top of head, around the eyes, lateral line and the line above the anal fin(?) and base of caudal fin(?) on the second fish.

The anal fin starts closer to the gill opening in the second as well.

Only counted once, anal fin count is close to the same for both, slightly higher for the first 54 and 51 for the second, not sure if the seperate ones at the front of the anal fin are counted as well which I did do(are these the remains of the ventral fins?).

The darker tympanic region in the second (with chromatophores)

The eye is slightly farther back in the second as well.

The first has deeper head/body in a vertical line just behind the eye?

Can't tell barbel length.

Birger

Post by **Silurus** » 21 Jan 2013, 01:16

This means that the common glass catfish isn't K. minor.

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 21 Jan 2013, 07:52

Apparently K minor is not that polymorphic?

Post by **Silurus** » 21 Jan 2013, 08:40

I don't think silurids are ever this polymorphic.

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 21 Jan 2013, 20:59

Silurus wrote:See the differences?

The mouth in the real K. minor appears to be subterminal, while it looks terminal in the aquarium glass catfish.

Birger wrote:The obvious one is the chromatophores top of head, around the eyes, lateral line and the line above the anal fin(?) and base of caudal fin(?) on the second fish.

Not sure if the chromatophores would be a good indicator in this case, as the real K. minor specimen looks to be much older, and therefore could be quite faded?

Post by **Silurus** » 21 Jan 2013, 21:07

In any case, the manuscript describing the common glass catfish as a new species has been accepted for publication.

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 21 Jan 2013, 21:31

As you might expect, changing the name of one of the most common aquarium catfish is a big job. I will get to it soon!

Cheers,

Jools

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 11 Feb 2013, 14:57

Nooo!! As we've only just had new labelling done, at great cost, it will remain K. minor in the Bolton area for the time being...

mummymonkey · Post by **mummymonkey** » 11 Feb 2013, 19:34

Any pictures of a real live K. minor then?

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 11 Feb 2013, 19:37

coelacanth wrote:Nooo!! As we've only just had new labelling done, at great cost, it will remain K. minor in the Bolton area for the time being...

Isn't that what marker pens and tippex is for? ;)

Seriously, I'm sure no one will notice - it's been wrong for the past several decades in the trade, and it took Silurus to figure out that it wasn't right...

--
Mats

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 12 Feb 2013, 00:20

What a transparent problem.

peterbu · Post by **peterbu** » 12 Jun 2013, 16:08

It's easy to tell the difference when they are close up and side by side, but when you are buying it and it's in a tank then it won't be an easy task. Imagine if the tank had white stones in it like mine, then you're in trouble haha.

What the glass catfish isn't

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