Amateur, experience-based "revision" of Auchenoglanis giraffe catfish notes 5 species in the aquarium trade

[Viktor Jarikov]

Our personal, experience-based, humble amateur overview of the genus of

Auchenoglanis

giraffe catfish "recognizing" 5 kinds that we see in the aquarium trade.

Answers to the eternal questions:

- Is my giraffe catfish a dwarf kind?
- What kind is it?
- How big will it grow?
- What tank is proper for it?
- Will it outgrow my tank?

ID pointers of the different kinds.

- biscutatus
- bouche
- niger
- volta
- congo/wittei

[yellowcat]

Nicely done, Viktor! Thanks for going to the trouble to produce this, indeed a very practical guide to identify the most commonly available giraffe catfish in the trade. I completely agree with the conclusions reached in the video. Since scientific analysis of the various species found in auchenoglanidae is not agreed upon from early and later revisions of the genus, your study will provide a very useful way to I.D. most specimens encountered in the hobby...

[Viktor Jarikov]

Thank you, Kirk! I can exhale now. Your stamp of approval means a lot to me... as has your friendly and authoritative help over the past 10 years + in identifying the giraffe cat species.

(Now if only Birger likes it, I could exhale the other lung... but I am afraid he might not )

Feel free to cross over to the other side and offer criticism too, when/if you got it. It's a humble effort.

I already see one small error - our male Volta baby picture (from WetSpot, all pink) is wrong, I showed the wrong one of the two present in the photo, looks like a wittei, our volta baby was facing the camera and poorly observed.

[Birger]

The main question I would have (not necessarily the only one) is where would you put A. senegali, they have been available, and are definitely out there. You do cover basic species but there are still many more.

Birger


I see it is now considered a synonym of biscutatus in COF.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Thank you so much Birger! Based on the Cat-eLog in its current state, A. senegali belong with the biscutatus, per my overview.

But then, my crude and humble overview disagrees with a whole bunch of picture assignments in the Cat-eLog entries for the Auchenoglanidae.

[Viktor Jarikov]

Some more footage, some good closeups, of the Niger and the Volta giraffe catfish:

https://youtu.be/1T8n9-wOzd8

[Birger]

I would be careful calling this a review especially to the general public.
I doubt you have specimens available of each "species" to study.
just my opinion.
Birger

[Viktor Jarikov]

Thank you Birger. Your opinions are precious to me. I am not implying any kind of science and by far any kind of taxonomic completeness in terms of the extant species. I believe I know its place. It's the humblest, hobbyist fish-keeper review that may carry some misidentifications, misjudgments and holes and only has a measly ~100 man-hours invested in the immediate preparation of it (not counting the years of raising all the Auchenoglanis giraffe catfish species I could lay my hands on and reading about them, etc.).

I do believe that in terms of "completeness as observed in the aquarium fish trade", it has a shot, albeit even there it is more than likely incomplete. I agree.

If your objection is to semantics, I could call it almost any kind of known synonyms:

re·view
1.
a formal assessment or examination of something with the possibility or intention of instituting change if necessary: "a comprehensive review of defense policy"
Similar: analysis evaluation assessment appraisal examination investigation scrutiny inquiry exploration probe inspection study audit; rare: anatomization
2.
a critical appraisal of a book, play, movie, exhibition, etc., published in a newspaper or magazine:
"she released her debut solo album to rave reviews"
Similar: criticism critique write-up notice assessment evaluation judgment rating commentary piece article column; informal: crit

Please, suggest a replacement word and I will do my best to swap the word "review" in my posts on YouTube, Planet Catfish, and Monster Fish Keepers.

[Jools]

It's hard work producing something like this, so well done on the effort.

Seeing as we're talking about it, perhaps best titled as your experience or opinion - if it were me, I'd call it my overview of forms (or patterning); species as you say in the video is a tricky word to use within this genus. Also, if it helps, bouche you would pronounce as boosh.

Jools

[Viktor Jarikov]

Thank you Jools on all accounts.

I have edited the posts but will you please edit the thread title to "Amateur, experience-based overview of Auchenoglanis giraffe catfish notes 5 kinds in the aquarium trade"?

[Jools]

It should now be so, the old title remains where it was used, but we can see the new one and it'll be used ongoing. Seems to work best.

Cheers,

Jools

[Viktor Jarikov]

Copyright issues about the overview: https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/vie ... 24#p339124