Biotope tank for Horabagrus brachysoma

[minipol]

Horabagrus brachysoma

[Shovelnose]

The Horabagrus look very healthy and well fed.

[minipol]

Thanks, yes, well fed. At night time, I have a small night led light on and it makes feeding them easy.
But they do feed in the daytime on occasion.
They are about or close to 3 years now.
In one of the papers I read that they die at around age 5. I hope this is not true in a tank.
I hope to keep them a lot longer...

[Shovelnose]

I remember Viktor mentioning a Horabagrus that had hit the 15 year mark, I think it was from Monsterfishkeepers.

[minipol]

15 years ?! Wow. In the reading material I got from you, I've seen mention of 5 years being the average age at which they die.
That's in the wild of course so if they really get older in a nice big tank, that would be awesome !
Any more info on the age of Hora's?

[minipol]

An update on the Horabagrus.
At this time I have only 2 tanks left.
A 300x100x70cm one (2000 liters), and a 200x70x67cm (+- 1000 liters).
The 6 x Horabagrus are in the 200cm tank with a Synodontis eupterus, 2 x Chrysichthys, a Polypterus endlicherii (+- 20-25 cm) and some barbs.
They used to be in the 300cm tank as well as in a 1100 liter PVC pond in the garage.
They have been in this tank for about 11 months now. There's a very big piece of wood in the tank (+- 1.5 m) and a big plastic hollow stone. Some big fake plants, real wood and some clay breeding cave. Enough room to hide.
The tank doesn't have the slow dimming leds I have on the 300.

However, I can't shake the feeling they feel at their best in the tank. Tankmates should be okay. But I'm not sure about the tank.
Filtration and temp is ok. Since they are sometimes skittish, even in the 300, they are prone to rub injure a fin.
Where these injuries used to just heal, now a very small patch of fungus seems to get on the wounds.
The wounds are not the problem, they will heal, the problem is they are more skittish than I can remember and that could be a sign of them not feeling ok. I also have the feeling their colours are not as bright as they used to be or when I introduced them to this tank. Granted, they are at least 7,5 years or maybe a bit more but I have the feeling they can are still ok.

Since I have a lot of L numbers in the 3m, I could make the 300 a catfish tank.
It's a SA themed tank. I could move the smaller tetra, Corydoras, some Ancistrus, etc to the 200 so my bigger cats are all in the 300. I have 2 very nice groups of Guianacara as well as 6 beautiful Heros that I really like.
I probably will have to thin out both groups if want to move them to the 200.
Or maybe leaving the Heros and some Guianacara in the 300 with the big cats and Polypterus is also doable.

What are you thoughts on the Horabagrus? Any insights in what my possibilities are?

[Viktor Jarikov]

Great thread. I appreciate the updates through the years. My remaining 5-6 suncats are 5-10 years old too, and are 12"-16". They are relaxed in 4500 gal. In 240 gal 8'x2'x2' they were skittish. Perhaps it is merely the matter of tank size.

[minipol]

Yeah, I can't remember them being like this in the 3m tank. They used to come out in the day as well. Now this doesnt happen.

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I made the move and I see them during the day now, even the whole group.
Best that I could have done for them.
I kept the Heros in there with them and they ignore the catfish.
So far so good.

[Shovelnose]

The Horabagrus look very healthy and well fed.

Again!! Got to love that lovely green shade they develop.

[WhistlingBadger]

Glad the big move is working out for them. I enjoyed skimming through this thread and seeing the progress you've made with these guys. Great looking cats! Well done.