Brachyplatystoma sp. ??

[Unungy]

Please be kind to confirm.
I am also not very familiar with how common these are in the hobby.

Any idea of the retail price will also help. These guys are twice the size now.

[Viktor Jarikov]

I think it may be either Brachyplatystoma vaillanti or Pimelodus albicans. Please see if these threads duscussing that are of any help.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... vaillantii

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... vaillantii

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... vaillantii

[Unungy]

I think it may be either Brachyplatystoma vaillanti or Pimelodus albicans. Please see if these threads duscussing that are of any help.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... vaillantii

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... vaillantii

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... vaillantii

I think you're right. Brachyplatystoma vaillanti seems to be the closest to match.
These guys grow big and eat like there is no tomorrow.

[Viktor Jarikov]

That'd be my inclination too - smallish eye and the caudal extension point to Brachyplatystoma.

What size are they in the photos and what growth rate (roughly) are you seeing?

[Unungy]

They came in at 2" inches now, some are 4" in 6 weeks.

[Redtailrob]

Beautiful, stunning Fish.
Not sure how availabe they are in the states but VERY rare here in the UK.
These are Brachyplatystoma Vaillanti.
Grows to 40" + & yes will eat you out of house & home

[Viktor Jarikov]

Rob, if the ID stands, I'd say MEDIUM rare (not to be confused with the cooking term)

[Unungy]

I haven't seen many available at 4+" or so in USA, most I've seen are already big fish.

anyhow, so ViKtor how would you classify rare and medium rare?

[Redtailrob]

Only "medium rare" Viktor??
Depends on where you are I guess, its all relative.
Here in the UK I've NEVER seen them & I've worked in the Trade & kept Trops for 25 yrs +, specialized in Cats the last 10.
Have only recently been made aware of a Shipment of 4 here in London, one of which I'm trying to procure

[Viktor Jarikov]

Not sure how available they are in the states but VERY rare here in the UK.

Sorry Rob, my answer could have read as a "correction" of yours but really I was addressing your comment/half-question. So, I should have said "in the USA".

[Viktor Jarikov]

I haven't seen many available at 4+" or so in USA, most I've seen are already big fish. anyhow, so ViKtor how would you classify rare and medium rare?

Hi Saul,

Well, obviously these are not official classifications they convey personal feelings, kind of like "The world's greatest Dad" as they put it on kids' T-shirts.

It is a subjective call based on experience. The only live vaillantii I ever came across (if the ID of my guy is right) I bought. All others are from photos and the stories of other keepers. Perhaps I came across less than a dozen of these fish in the past 4 years (in the US) and I am quite active on PCF and MFK and I try to visit LFSs almost everywhere I go. That's medium, average rare... to me... to others it may feel differently, needless to say.

Very rare... I'd say would be a fish I have never seen live and only seen a few specimen on photos. Sorry about perhaps a bad example - such are TSNxOxydoras hybrid (seen 3 on photos) and RTCxLeiarius hybrid (seen 2 on photos). Sorubimichthys planiceps. Platinum RTC. Giant Mekong catfish.

Extremely rare: a fish I have never seen.

Perrunichthys perruno

for instance.

I assume you are asking because you are trying to come up with the right pricing for them... per your OP. I can’t help you here. Not only is my guy’s ID kind of “soft”, he was a parasite-ridden, sickly trade-in, whom I snatched for $10 at 7” SL. I am sure the LFS had no clue who he was and they almost never can afford to spend the time to find out the right IDs anyway… especially for a fish of rather non-remarkable appearance, such as this one.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Well, with great help from Silurus I must change the ID on my fish. It is a Pimelodus albicans, just as Silurus said from the start: http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... 13&t=30240

[Unungy]

Well, with great help from Silurus I must change the ID on my fish. It is a Pimelodus albicans, just as Silurus said from the start: http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... 13&t=30240

Are you saying that my fish is also a Pimelodus Albicans?

I will take new pictures, they have grown a bit in the last couple of weeks.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Nope. There is nothing to read between the lines. I am addressing my words in my previous posts within your thread that conveyed the lack of the ID surety... now we can see it was justified.

Moreover, if you read the thread on my fish, I am still confused about the looks of the small Pimelodus albicans. I believe mine looks different from Ben Lee's (Amiidae's) that's in Cat-eLog. Hence, I'd not dare to make any calls towards your fish, which is still small too.

[Viktor Jarikov]

same, different? http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... ost6485343

[Unungy]

same, different? http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... ost6485343

It does look very similar but there seems to be a size difference between the ones I had for sale and this 8" I still keep in touch with my customer that put them in a pond for breeding purposes. Hopefully he could help us with some pictures now that several months have gone by.

I have also noticed the caudal fin seems to be higher, than mine.

[Viktor Jarikov]

The same or similar-looking example: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... is-Catfish

[Viktor Jarikov]

Another one: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... 1-Viewing)

Too bad the OP pics disappeared.