Which substrate for Erethistes sp.???

[Naias]

Hello ,
I would like to know: which is the ideal substrate for Erethistes sp: smaller or larger gravel or sand or is it not so important? Thank you!

[Silurus]

The substrate in a stream we caught them in was very fine sand, but it probably doesn't matter as much, since they were hiding amongst vegetation (rather than in the substrate).

[Naias]

Hi Silurus,

thank you.

Well, I am just a little worried, not because they cannot hide in the substrate but because of the natural feeding habits they might have.

I momentarily keep them on small to larger gravel, but they have barbels like Corydoras, don´t they, and I can well imagine that they would prefer softer substrate which they can really dig into with their small straw-like mouths and slurp up their food. So far, their barbels seem undamaged but I know that the barbels of corydoras can be damaged when kept on gravel. What do you think???

[Silurus]

I have kept them with coarser substrates, and they seem to do fine. I don't see the problems that one sees with Corydoras barbels over coarse substrate.

[Naias]

Hi Silurus,

well, you´re the expert - ok, so I don´t have to worry .

However, I would really very much appreciate it if you could go a little more into detail where there is the difference between their bartels and habit of feeding in contrast to Corydoras?

[Silurus]

I have not seen mine dig as much as Corydoras, usually feeding more in the manner of aspredinids.

[medaka]

Hi
All my mothcats (Hara's)now have a sand substrate to them, although when a few were housed in a tank with a gravel/stoney substrate this semed to have no detremental effect on the barbels. however I have never observed them 'rooting' like corydoras in the substrate, if they do it seems that they only use the top couple of millimeters when feeeding on bloodworm, grindal worm & white worms although they will always eat the worms that are on the surface of the substrate first, I also feed mine brine shrimp and daphnia and for this they will actively feed mid water.

[Naias]

Hi,

thank you Silurus and Medaka. I am quite relieved to hear that. So I think they are fine for the time being. Should I ever decide to set up a new tank for them I will nevertheless switch to sand substrate.

By the way, mine like discus granulate and smashed peas, too. However, I have yet to see them feeding in mid water (when I give them daphnia ect.).

[sidguppy]

beware with granulate....often it's very hard, but it swells in contact with water.

most catfish don't chew, unlike cichlids they miss the equipment for that (cichlids have a chewing apparatus in their throat), wich means they swallow their food.

with such a tiny catfish, a rapidly swelling granule can block the intestine and cause death......I'd stick to crumbled flake (flake swells, but desintegrates much easier), bloodworms, cyclops, daphnia, artemia, white & black mosquitolarvae, blackworms and tubifex.

plenty choice.

Also; if you grind (break up) the granules, it's a lot safer; a peppergrinder is perfectly suitable for grinding up hard granules.

[Naias]

Hi!

Thank you for your´re comments. I basically already knew about the dangers of granulate, but you are right, I will be even more careful from now on and break it up before I feed it. Mostly I feed them frozen larvae, cyclops ect. and live food anyway.

Well, may I ask another question in this thread:
does anybody know what´s their lifespan?

[medaka]

does anybody know what´s their lifespan?

Quick answer No!
However, The Hara type Hara maeosotensis See http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... hp?t=13036
I still have three adults left from the group I spawned in 2002