Mystus rhegma

[kamphol]

The new Cat-eLog entry (19 July 05) for Mystus albolineatus should be the rare Mystus rhegma. Beautiful catfish and a personal favourite.

Mystus rhegma:


Mystus albolineatus:

[Jools]

<b>I just found one for sale in Scotland!</b>

For no real reason I popped into what used to be an old LFS of mine in Edinburgh. Just needed some fish therapy I guess. Not a lot of very exciting fish, but a few l-numbers etc.

I did however find a Mystus rhegma for sale. I was surprised! Firstly becuase it appears to have been ID'ed correctly and secondly because it was priced at £25! ($50). Now, that's too expensive for a 3" Mystus - or is it? Has anyone else seen these for sale. I presume they are on a list with this name as I find it unlikely a shop would ID something like this so accurately (I could be wrong).

Also for sale was a "Laos Tiger Catfish" but all that was left was the label on the tank. I wonder what this might have been? Perhaps Bagarius? I'd be interested if anyone else has seen fish for sale in the UK under these names.

I'm still thinking but £25 is too expensive...


Jools

PS Can I use the other (M. albolineatus) picture in the catelog? I checked Kottelat's "Fishes of Laos" and the ID seems to check out, but that book has a less than good picture of M. albolineatus.

[Shane]

Jools,
Go back and get some. Kamphol, Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos. I have a real soft spot for Mystus.
-Shane

[Dinyar]

Sounds like Laos is getting onto exporters' maps these days. I saw some "Laotian torrent cats" on a Singapore list last week. Expensive for wholesale. Lots of torrential cataracts and interesting catfish (including Mystus rhegma) from Laos.

Dinyar

[kamphol]

Jools, funny you should mention Kottelat's Fishes of Laos book. Coincindently, he uses a picture of Mystus rhegma (figure #336) to illustrate Mystus multiradiatus (errata).