PlanetCatfish.com

Are there any other small breedable catfish apart from Corydoras and Loricariidae? All I can think of is a couple of species of Synodontis: multipunctatus, petricola & upside down cat.

Do a search for Phyllonemus typus and Lophiobagrus, author Sidguppy.

Larger Callichthyds are also quite challenging to breed, apart from Megalechis thoracata/personata (will they please stop changing names? it freaks me out!); more commonly known as Hoplosternum thoracatum or the Kwi-kwi.

Kwi-kwi's are bubblenest builders and most often for sale as youngsters, bred in captivity. unfortunately it's hard to get good quality specimen; most are thoroughly inbreds
this is because people usually buy a group of youngsters (almost always hatchlings grom a single spawn!), raise and breed them.
add 20+ years of common availability and an egg-adult growth of 2 years (although their lifespan can top 20) and you'll see what I mean.

other Callichthyds have already been bred, but much more challenging (also to get them) are Brochis spp, Aspidoras spp, Hoplosternum littorale, H punctatum from Panama and the Lepthoplosternum species (indisguisable from each other save for ichthyologists; but usually sold as "Hoplosternum pectorale" aka Dwarf Hoplo or Dwarf Kwi-kwi).

Hello,
in the article linked to above the author writes about and shows a photo of using pvc pipe.
I am wondering how do they get the pipe to sink please ?
as it does not appear to have any holes drilled in the pvc pipe and I cannot see any weight such as some plant lead siliconed onto the pvc pipe.
I have cut some pipe, to use as hides for Corydoras, whilst soaking them is how I noticed they float even when they are filled with water.

Kevin

Generally, white PVC sinks and black PVC floats. Gray PVC (made for electrical wiring sometimes floats and sometimes sinks. If they made PVC with aquarists in mind, the black would sink instead of the white.
-Shane

Thank You Shane

Kevin

Shane wrote:Generally, white PVC sinks and black PVC floats. Gray PVC (made for electrical wiring sometimes floats and sometimes sinks. If they made PVC with aquarists in mind, the black would sink instead of the white.
-Shane

Probably to do with the fact that white pigment is usually titanium oxide, which is relatively dense (despite titanium being a light, strong metal!), whilst black colouring is usually done with carbon powder, which is relatively light...

--
Mats

I've been doing some tests on the pvc pipe.
I used 6" lengths placed in a 12gallon sized bucket which contained 8 gallons of water treated with conditioner as used in the tanks.

Results so far -

21.5mm white contract - floats

22mm white polypipe brand - floats
22mm grey polypipe brand - floats
22mm white contract - floats
22mm white rigid single wall - floats

32mm (1.25")white polypipe brand - floats
32mm grey polypipe brand - floats
32mm white hunter brand - floats

40mm (1.5") grey polypipe brand - floats
40mm black contract - floats
40mm white contract - floats
40mm grey contract - floats
40mm white Hunter brand - floats
40mm grey Hunter brand - floats

68mm black contract - sinks.

I have a couple of others I can try, I'll list them when I have done them.

last few

20mm black Gilflex Brand Conduit - sinks

22mm white Hunter brand p/p high temperature -floats

25mm Blue MDPE Qualplast Brand - floats


I have noticed something during these tests and have a theory I have to try.
I will write a short conclusion then.

Kevin

Shane and Mats replies got me thinking and testing.

So my conclusion -

Pipes that float were found to be "uPVC Polypropylene"
Pipes that sink were found to be "MuPVC ABS".

Shane wrote that ideally people would like it in black for aquarium use , so sinking black pipes -

32mm Black Solvent Weld Pipe made by "Marley"
40mm Black Solvent Weld Pipe made by "Marley"
50mm Black Halfround Rainwater pipe made by "Hunter"
68mm Black Halfround Rainwater pipe made by "Hunter"

A little different -
65mm Black Squareline Rainwater pipe made by "Hunter"

this is a pipe that is square rather than circular.

I am going to use the 50mm in the Corydoras breeding tank, well hopefully breeding lol.

Kevin

Kevin,

Thanks for the research - saves me a bit. I think you'd be right if you said that "Solvent weld" pipe is more suitable than the "compression fit" pipes for this purpose. The solvent weld use a more dense material, so that'll explain their properties.

--
Mats

Mats,
I'm pleased its useful for you and I hope it might help others in the future.
I enjoyed doing the testing.

Kevin