interesting SA catfish that doesnt get to big?

bussardnr · Post by **bussardnr** » 20 May 2005, 19:04

im looking to finsh stocking my tank and was wondering if there were any cool SA misc catfish out there that i could add. i have a few banjos and am not really into the haplos. is there anything else? I want something thats not very common.

Post by **Silurus** » 20 May 2005, 19:20

Try driftwood cats (Auchenipteridae) or talking cats (Doradidae).

Some of the non-parasitic trichomycterids are also interesting, although a number of these generally require cooler water.

Post by **medaka** » 20 May 2005, 20:16

You could get a few Hassars , something like notospilus these fish like to be together so the minimum you should aim for is around 6.

btw way how big is your tank as this may effect the quantity and size of its inhabitants.

bussardnr · Post by **bussardnr** » 20 May 2005, 20:50

its a 75 gal. im not really looking for something that will school as im only looking at getting 1-2 more fish

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 21 May 2005, 10:44

too bad. a group of 5 Pim pictus would fit in nicely, and they're good looking and interesting.
Microglanis is nice, but that's one of those that hides all the time, including feedingtimes.

Auchenipterids are nice, but they hide ALL THE TIME. it takes a true catfish-addict to appreciate keeping fish wich you will see twice

Once when you release them from the bag, and once when you clear out the tank.

a few show themselves allright at feeding time, but they're hard to get or very small (like Tatia perugiae).
Years ago Driftwood- and Zamora-cats were quite common (these will show up when feeding, Driftwoods more than Zamora's), but the last few years they seem to have vanished.

Trichomycterids like Ituglanis can be kept with ease in any normal tanks; it's Eremophilus that's more fragile when temperatures rise or oxygen drops. unfortunately those fish are imported erratically to say the least.....

You could go for some Doradids; Platydoras, Orinocodoras, Agamyxis, Amblydoras and Acanthodoras are quite peaceful and good looking. The one that shows up most often with feeding time is Orinocodoras. These fish do fine as single or pair.

The "featherbarb-Dorads" like Opsodoras, Hassar and Trachydoras are all shoaling fish and you should keep them with at least 5. singles will never show up and likely die. 2 won't do either.

If you want a mediumsize cat that shows, Hoplo-species are the best. highly visible and very entertaining. maybe not as "rare", but worth every penny.

If you ever see Platystacus for sale; GET IT! it's a very easy to keep fish (likes all the foods), but it requires clean water and best: NO cichlids. apart from that, it's like a huge eel-like oversized Banjo, but a live one!

always doing something weird, and very visible, not to say weird.

bussardnr · Post by **bussardnr** » 21 May 2005, 20:41

I really like these 2
Acanthodoras sp.(2)
Amblydoras hancockii
any info on the best way to come across them?

Post by **Marc van Arc** » 31 May 2005, 21:14

You have nicely chosen. However, both species are masters in the game "how no to be seen". You know they are in there somewhere, but you couldn't tell where, not even for a few hundred dollars. If you can live with that, go ahead.
They are great fish.