PlanetCatfish.com

I have posted questions about these guys before and thanks for the good info. I got 13 and 2 died pretty quick. They did quarantine in a 20 long and did fine while entertaining me no end. These are very interesting fish.

My web research found only live food would be accepted. They actually eat anything now and seem to like flakes that float the best. No surprise from what you noted Paul. They have now been dispersed into 3 different tanks.

Main question is about the best way to try breeding. Find a pair? Group grope sort of thing like Corys? I noticed several posters have spawned similar fish but haven't seen any "how to's". Not looking hard enough?

Last question: there are four of these guys in a 30 gallon. They have it all to themselves. I thought one of them was dead. It was totally still and sort of hanging in the roots of Water Sprite (which after reading more posts I have removed since top feeders may not like floating plants). It was not dead and when disturbed, joined the others in swimming around the tank. After awhile this fish finds another place and sits there looking dead. This is the only one that does this but does it consistently. Is this normal? I know there are fish (notorious among Tropheus) that love to play dead. I know of people throwing fish in the garbage only to have them flipping around when checking it later.

George

That "play dead" behaviour is totally normal. During the day,like many catfish, they prefer to find some niche where they can "lock" themselves in to a secure position using their pectoral and dorsal fins. I have even tried to take photos of them during the day and removed the driftwood to which one particular female was "secured" to a photo tank. She was locked in so well that even after being out of the water for considerable time she would not release her hold to drop into the photo tank.
As far as breeding goes, I've had them spawn in community tanks before, although they definitely will prefer to spawn in a tank to themselves. Pairing isn't neccessary as I don't think that they form pairs. I think that the 2 key factors are:
1) feedings as frequent as possible when the lights are out, with their favourites being glassworms and bloodworms, I've only had access to frozen.
2) provide niches in driftwood or rock where the females can deposit and care for their eggs. Spaces about the size and shape of the plastic containers that 35 mm. film comes in might be about the ideal size. The females will lay the eggs in their "nest" and then care for them until they hatch. The niches that females I've had use have been as simple as the middle of an Anubias root mass or between two Anubias leaves if nothing more solid is available. I've always thought that, if I had the materials and the skill, that drilling a hole the size of the 35 mm. container into a piece of driftwood might be the ideal nest for this species. I hope I've answered your questions.

You have. Thanks. I'm going to try the drilling holes thing and let you know how it goes.


George