Orange-banded catfish?

Did you know fantastic help is an anagram of Planet Catfish? This forum is for those of you with pictures of your catfish who are looking for help identifying them. There are many here to help and a firm ID is the first step towards keeping your catfish in the best conditions.
Post Reply
User avatar
catfishgurl1976
Posts: 31
Joined: 28 Feb 2003, 03:18
Location 1: Washington
Interests: African catfish, Labyrinth fish, and other non-fish stuff also.

Orange-banded catfish?

Post by catfishgurl1976 »

I found a new little wonder.
My husband works in a pet store, he has been telling me about these Orange-banded catfish.
We bought four of them today.
They didn't have a scientific name for them.
They are supposed to grow to 2 1/2 inches long. They burrow in the gravel.

I'm unsure of how to feed them. I don't know if they stay burrowed or if they come out at all.

I was thinking of live blood worms maybe. :?

Does anyone have any info on these guys. I'm gonna search the site for any possible info.

Thanks for any help.

Jen :D
Top
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12420
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 893
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 424
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Post by Silurus »

Sounds like the undescribed Laguvia that has been exported from India recently:

Image

I think you will need to feed them live food only. Dinyar or Rusty should be able to tell you more about this fish.

Could also be the undescribed Akysis from Myanmar:

Image

in which case, Achim can tell you more about them.
Image
Top
User avatar
catfishgurl1976
Posts: 31
Joined: 28 Feb 2003, 03:18
Location 1: Washington
Interests: African catfish, Labyrinth fish, and other non-fish stuff also.

Post by catfishgurl1976 »

Thank-you so much! :D
It is amazing how you can do that.

The first one is definitely the catfish I have.

Would kind of live food would you suggest?

Jen
Top
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12420
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 893
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 424
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Post by Silurus »

Would kind of live food would you suggest?
Small blackworms or microworms. Bloodworms might do it also.
Image
Top
User avatar
Dinyar
Posts: 1286
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 00:34
My articles: 3
My images: 227
My catfish: 10
My cats species list: 3 (i:10, k:0)
Spotted: 94
Location 1: New York, NY, USA
Interests: Mochokidae, Claroteidae, Bagridae, Malepteruridae, Chacidae, Heteropneustidae, Clariidae, Sisoridae, Loricariiadae

Post by Dinyar »

Yes, this fish is sold as "orange banded catfish" or "banded stone cat". We got about 20 of them a month ago, and unfortunately more than half have died. They did fine for the first two weeks, but started to fungus thereafter (though all the other quite sensitive fish they share the quarantine tank with, e.g., Gagata cenia are fine). We initially thought they were dying because they were not feeding, but some detective work with a flashlight in the dark (the only time you'll get to see them closely) revealed that many of the live fish had incipient signs of fungus. Upon stirring up our substrate, we found it contained some (but not a lot) of organic debris. Treatment with Formalin seems to have slowed the death rate. Next step is to remove the fish temporarily and thoroughly clean out the gravel.

This is definitely NOT an easy fish to keep, though a fun fish if you can keep it alive. It requires cool, clean water, with a strong current. As discussed above, very clean tank conditions appear to be a must. It will readily feed on small live foods such as blackworms. However, it is not likely to compete effectively for food against other fish. A tank with similar species (e.g., "Hara horai") or a species tank is probably the best way to go.

If I may ask, how much did you pay for your fish?

Dinyar
Top
User avatar
catfishgurl1976
Posts: 31
Joined: 28 Feb 2003, 03:18
Location 1: Washington
Interests: African catfish, Labyrinth fish, and other non-fish stuff also.

Post by catfishgurl1976 »

I believe they were 4.99 each.

Thanks for all of the help. I really appreciate it.
Hopefully they will do ok.
I will definitely keep up on water quality for them. I will also try out some live foods.


but some detective work with a flashlight in the dark (the only time you'll get to see them closely)
I was doing that last night. :)

Jen :D
Top
User avatar
Dinyar
Posts: 1286
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 00:34
My articles: 3
My images: 227
My catfish: 10
My cats species list: 3 (i:10, k:0)
Spotted: 94
Location 1: New York, NY, USA
Interests: Mochokidae, Claroteidae, Bagridae, Malepteruridae, Chacidae, Heteropneustidae, Clariidae, Sisoridae, Loricariiadae

Post by Dinyar »

We switched our remaining orange-banded cats to a tank with a sand substrate and stopped losing them immediately. Don't know if there is a direct causal relationship, but anyway, I'd advise anyone keeping these fish to keep them in sand.

Dinyar
Top
User avatar
Jools
Expert
Posts: 16141
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 15:25
My articles: 198
My images: 948
My catfish: 237
My cats species list: 87 (i:237, k:1)
My BLogs: 7 (i:10, p:202)
My Wishlist: 23
Spotted: 450
Location 1: Middle Earth,
Location 2: Scotland
Interests: All things aquatic, Sci-Fi, photography and travel. Oh, and beer.
Contact:
Contact Jools

Post by Jools »

Depiste the name (burmese_orange_banded_hillstream_cat.jpg) is this the <I>Laguvia</i>? The barbles look more like <I>Akysis</i> mind you. Maybe what I am asking is how do you tell the two genera apart?

Image

Thanks to doctorzeb for the pic.

Jools
Top
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12420
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 893
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 424
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Post by Silurus »

is this the Laguvia?
Nope, it's an Akysis. Probably the undescribed Ataran species.
Maybe what I am asking is how do you tell the two genera apart?
There should be fewer bony processes in an Akysis. For one, it would be lacking a pair on each side of the back of the head.
Actually, you can probably tell them apart by very subtle color differences, but it takes some experience.
Image
Top
User avatar
catfishgurl1976
Posts: 31
Joined: 28 Feb 2003, 03:18
Location 1: Washington
Interests: African catfish, Labyrinth fish, and other non-fish stuff also.

Post by catfishgurl1976 »

I just wanted to post an update.

All four of my Orange-banded catfish are doing great! :D I have seen all four alive and well. No fungus at all.

I was feeding live blood worms, but I don't think the catfish were eating any. I think my other fish were getting to them first.
However they seem to be hanging out in parts of my tank where there is algae. I think they are either eating the algae, or the micro-organisms that live within the algae.

Jen :D
Top
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12420
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 893
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 424
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Post by Silurus »

We just collected some in the wild and I can tell you a little more about their habitat. The fish were found in a small river with a bottom of fine sand, with a moderately fast current and clear, cool water. The river was in the plains of north Bengal, and as such, had completely no rocks for a low-gradient river of its kind.
The fish seemed to congregate most in clumps of aquatic grasses growing in areas where the current was stronger and a steep incline had formed in the river bed, as there were practically absent in other parts of the river.
Image
Top
Post Reply

Return to “What is my catfish?”