Ompok pabo husbandry

[FatCatDoorMat]

Hi all. Recently I have acquired two

Ompok pabo

s. There is very little info about this species. It would be great if you all shared info on this species.

[FatCatDoorMat]

WHat can I keep them with? I was thinking of getting a fossilis/stinging catfish or something similar, and giant danios. If I am not being region specific, can I keep them with cichlids? the tank is 45 gals in volume

[Shane]

I have kept other Ompok spp and can tell you that they will do their best to eat their tankmates. Giant Danios would be a quick snack. This sp gets fairly large (23 cm) so any tankmates would need to be very large. Perhaps a very large pleco or cichlid, but your 45 gallon tank would be very full with just the three fishes.
-Shane

[Viktor Jarikov]

Never heard of anyone keeping this species. Like Shane says, perhaps people reporting their experiences with other genus members might be a good guide for you. I have a thread on my O. siluroides and perhaps on O. pabda, I don't quite remember.

If a tank mates fits in their mouth, it is at risk of being eaten sooner or later, that's probably true of all Silurids and certainly Ompoks.

[Jools]

What info there is about this species, you write it here. Sometimes a new species comes along that for one reason or another there is no data because no one has really kept it before. So, the suggestions here are a good start. Then we can document the experience and also the picture you sent me before (thanks!).

After that, well how about we start with how you came by this species?



Cheers,

Jools

[FatCatDoorMat]

Thank you all for the replies. I have scoured this site and the internet in general for the husbandry of O.pabo, but it is largely known as a food fish in its native range, so there is little to no info on this genera, let alone on this particular species.

As for the couple I have, rhey measure 15cm and 13cm each. Unfortunately the smaller one has a kink in its spine. I got it that way, so I think it's a birth defect or a wrongly healed injury. Sometimes they lay side by side, and rarely the larger on chases the smaller one around the tank. They are definitely getting a bit more adjusted to the light, and sometimes loiter around even when the lights are on. They cleared zebra danios on the first night, and have taken to cleaned uncooked prawn happily. I have not had problems with feeding them, but after I rescaped the tank a bit for a scratch free nocturnal activity time, the smaller one regurgitated a piece of prawn while it was being chased by the bigger one. I have seen them both rest in different positions, lying on their sides like silurichthys or tetranematichthys, sitting upright, or leaning on woods. The one with the kinked spine is a bit less active but can swim around absolutely normally and eats after lights out, also it rests with its tail off the substrate, as opposed to the tail resting on the substrate. It also has the habit of wagging its tail like some Mystus or a fanning Pleco, whether this is individual behavioral variation or neurological damage related to the curved spine, only time will tell.

[Jools]

Always interesting when a "new" species pops up. How did you come by this species? Were you able to collect it? It would be really helpful to know on what basis it was identified to this species - would love to add the pictures to the site once I'm sure about ID.

@Silurus - any comment on ID?

Cheers,

Jools

[FatCatDoorMat]

As I was browsing this forum for info, I came across a post by @Shovelnose whose

Ompok pabda

did the same vomit-y thing when stressed. Mine have stopped chasing each other(and the resultant regurgitation of food) after yet another rescape, and in fact stay together for the majority of the day. I have yet to feed prepared foods, and I have tried chopped up prawn, shrimps, and zebra danios so far. What are their growth rates when they hit 13-15cm? From the aforementioned post I read that they grow very fast as juvies (obviously) but if possible I'd like to know their growth rates at this point because that would help me choose some tankmates. I was thinking of

Pterocryptis gangelica

but even though they'd be the same size for now, a full grown

Ompok pabo

is 160% the size of the Pterocryptis. I decided against the fossil/stinging catfish just because of their max size, as they'd be too cramped in my tank. Would I be wrong to assume that wider bodied fish will live with the pabos, like Pearl Gouramis or Angel cichlid? I mean I can do Channas (gachua/bleheri) but seeing as these Ompoks like demarcating an area for themselves, keeping them with Channas would be risky.

Anyways, it is PICTURE TIME folks
1. This is the smaller and the more slender of the two, and also the one with the bent spine. I took this photo after switching on the light, which is the reason for this washed-out appearance.


2. This is the larger and more active of the two.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Interesting. Thank you. As Jools says, how have you convinced yourself of the species ID?

[FatCatDoorMat]

Interesting. Thank you. As Jools says, how have you convinced yourself of the species ID?

I looked through your posts, and I saw that Ompok sp are slow growers? That answers one of my questions.

Well, the fish are from either Northern West Bengal or Assam, So it's probably not

Ompok malabaricus

. The

Ompok bimaculatus

is a silvery fish devoid of clouded patterns, unlike the mottled animals I have. Also the whiskers of

Ompok bimaculatus

extend beyond the anal fin, unlikke the whiskers of my fish. From the

Ompok pabo

's cLog description, "Silvery-grey with a faint shoulder spot. Body cloudy all over with black dots." So it's down to

Ompok pabda

or

Ompok pabo

. I'll have to do an anal fin ray count to be sure, but from

Ompok pabda

cLog page I think I am seeing a completely different fish. Also, I bought it as

Ompok pabo

.

If you could give some more behavioral info on Ompok sp., please share. TIA.

EDIT: I had been putting off my anal fin ray count for quite some time now,I definitely counted around 60 and then lost count(the remaining were somewhere around 10-15 fin rays if I had to guess). From the Key to Species given here: http://faunaofindia.nic.in/PDFVolumes/o ... /index.pdf, pabda has 22-56, while pabo has 66-71. I'll recount as many times as possible but I am almost sure that this is

Ompok pabo

.

[Jools]

AFC are much easier to do from photographs!

Jools

[FatCatDoorMat]

AFC are much easier to do from photographs!

Jools

They have been hard to photograph even immediately after I switch on the lights due to some driftwoods always obstructing some part of their body unless I can get them to come sit right in front of the tank. Unless I am counting on luck, leaning a slate against the front glass would perhaps work, I'll have to try that out.

Also I have been seriously considering introducing

Pterocryptis gangelica

seeing as the Ompoks are such slow growers at this stage (contrary to their juvenile growth rates), perhaps the Pteros can catch up in size, unless they are even slower growers, which would mean that I'd end up with two very fat Ompoks. Even when they are the same size, would territoriality be an issue? The two sometimes squabbled before I rescaped the tank, would they do the same with Pteros?

[Shovelnose]

I've never kept O.pabo but the species I've kept were all the same, mild temperament, slow growers and a little fussy when it came to feed. There were a lot of small Mystus in the tank and nothing ever disappeared, I don't think Ompok will go after fish more than half it's size. I recently got pics of the P.gangelica available in Calcutta and they looked to be around 5 inches TL.


I've kept P.gangelica on a couple of occasions with zero trouble. Tankmates were bagrids and a few largish barbs, no problems whatsoever. I just made sure there was enough cover for all the catfish to keep squabbling to a minimum. I had two specimens at one point of time and they were quite tolerant of each other as well. They aren't slow growers like Ompok but they do jump all the time so make sure the tank has a secure lid.

I am currently keeping P.indica and these are quite different from P.gangelica in terms of temperament and care. Quite nasty to each other and any other catfish and there's also a die off every October. Temperatures and humidity are high this time of the year. I kept P.gangelica when I was in Chennai and the temperatures were always high, they showed no signs of discomfort whatsoever.

[Shovelnose]

perhaps the Pteros can catch up in size, unless they are even slower growers, which would mean that I'd end up with two very fat Ompoks.

They grew quite quickly from 5 to 7 inches for me. I kept them on a diet of Hikari Carnivore/Massivore, live shrimps, scampi feed and blood worms once in a while. They aren't fussy eaters, will take to processed feed from day one.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Thank you both guys.

I appreciate knowing how you eliminated malabaricus and bimaculatus but there are many more Ompok species https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/ge ... id=113#792

Why is yours not some other species, like the common siluroides? Do you know the collection location, is that why?

[FatCatDoorMat]

Thank you both guys.

I appreciate knowing how you eliminated malabaricus and bimaculatus but there are many more Ompok species https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/ge ... id=113#792

Why is yours not some other species, like the common siluroides? Do you know the collection location, is that why?

Yes, I know the collection location (Northern West Bengal/Assam), so I haven't considered non-Indian species. O.siluroides was grouped together with bimaculatus, and the indian population of bimaculatus doesn't have any mottled coloration, certainly not as prominent as siluroides.

I've never kept O.pabo but the species I've kept were all the same, mild temperament, slow growers and a little fussy when it came to feed. There were a lot of small Mystus in the tank and nothing ever disappeared, I don't think Ompok will go after fish more than half it's size. I recently got pics of the P.gangelica available in Calcutta and they looked to be around 5 inches TL.

Thank you for sharing your experiences. But the floor space of my tank seems to be too cramped for another similarly sized and shaped fish. I also read in one of your posts that your Ompok malabaricus lunged at your Pterocryptis. I don't have any backup tank to put them back in, as my other tanks have pseudolaguvia, aborichthys, and oreichthys, all good food choices for silurids. Since you mention that Ompoks don't bother slightly smaller fish, I am thinking of 5-6 Mystus whatever-I-can-come across, or should I stick to vittatus/tengara?

[Shovelnose]

I also read in one of your posts that your Ompok malabaricus lunged at your Pterocryptis. I don't have any backup tank to put them back in, as my other tanks have pseudolaguvia, aborichthys, and oreichthys, all good food choices for silurids. Since you mention that Ompoks don't bother slightly smaller fish, I am thinking of 5-6 Mystus whatever-I-can-come across, or should I stick to vittatus/tengara?

Oh wow! I didn't even remember keeping the two together, assumed I kept them at different points in time. The P.gangelica came in significantly smaller than the O.malabaricus, I remember that much. I would suggest you go with M.cavasius or large sized M.bleekeri as the tengara/carcio in the trade are usually quite small in size.

[FatCatDoorMat]

Tried giving them bloodworms. The bigger one took them immediately, but the smaller one is still skeptical of it. I am not sure if any bullying persists, but they lay side by side when the lights are on. They haven't grown even a little bit but perhaps I'm expecting too much from such slow growers.

After a visit to the local food fish market, I saw some Mystus that looked like they died in the last five minutes. They'd be alive if I arrived a bit earlier, but I'll visit again after setting up the quarantine tank. Will post some videos and photos soon.

[bekateen]

After a visit to the local food fish market, I saw some Mystus that looked like they died in the last five minutes. They'd be alive if I arrived a bit earlier, but I'll visit again after setting up the quarantine tank.

Oh that is sad. Sorry.

As for the fish growing, I've found them to behave like a pot on a stove - the more I watch it, the slower it cooks.

Good luck with them,
Eric

[FatCatDoorMat]

Update on the cat:

Both the Ompoks and a Mystus gulio came down with what I believe to be a bacterial infection. They survived the ordeal, and I was out of station for a couple of days, so ofcourse any mishap would have to happen on those days, and sure enough, the bigger one bullied the smaller one to death, evidenced by tattered fins, and a history of bullying (which had subsided after introduction of the Mystus. I had to separate the Mystus due to it being an aggressive eater and my sick Ompoks not getting any food). So now the tank has a lone Ompok pabo and a Garra sp (Got it from a friend as garra rufa but most probably gotyla or annandalei). It has put on a little bit of size, and the illness prevented me from adding any Pterocryptis to the tank, so the Ompok has become even lazier due to the lack of competition during feeding time. Will update with pics soon.

[retro_gk]

Can't help you with husbandry, but the fish in the pictures appear to be O. pabda; O. pabo has really short maxillary barbels, barely extending past the eye.

[FatCatDoorMat]

Long time no update, the bigger bully

Ompok

lives on after bullying the other to its death during a period when I was out of station and the lights were off for a couple of days. The cat lives with a Garra sp, and some Channa gachua. There were some Lepidocephalichthys loaches I added with the catfish, but the outcome was not a happy one and I moved the remaining loaches to another tank. The catfish is growing so painfully slowly that sometimes I feel like it has lost some length.

This is the catfish today,



And this is it after it swallowed a loach



Regarding its identity as pabda or pabo, the person i got it from says pabo, and I did an AFC too, but it might as well be pabda as commented by a member. I'll have to contact the person from whom I got this fish again to see if he can definitively ID this fish. There's another lockdown in place right now, after that, I'll probably get a couple more of these cats to see if they exhibit shoaling behaviour.

[Jools]

Thanks for posting the update, it would be good to know if there is more information on the ID forthcoming.

Cheers,


Jools