PlanetCatfish.com

I have recently acquired a Pseudohemiodon apithanos. Amazing fish, especially when it changes colour! Can anyone help with the maximum size that it will attain. Cat-elog states 11.8" but other sites suggest 7".
Any help would be much appreciated.
chris

To make things even worse, FishBase states 14,5 cm (approx. 5.9").....

I have seen them at about 10 inches, not sure how much bigger they get than that

Great lookign fish..... Good luck with them

Thanks for advice, I guess it's a case of wait and see. either way it is well catered for. chris

My opinion would be that they may well reach 11" in the wild, but about 7" is a reasonable size to expect in the aquarium.

Good luck with them.

The in the cat-elog are mine .

Thanks again. Great pictures racoll!!

Marc van Arc wrote:To make things even worse, FishBase states 14,5 cm (approx. 5.9").....

As does CLOFFSCA, for that matter.

I'll post a question in the "bugs" forum, as it may be that the original poster intended centimeters and it got converted to inches and back to millimeters...

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Mats

Ah ha!

Perhaps the person who provided the cat-elog submission used TL rather than SL.

The Pseudohemiodon have caudal filaments often as long as the length of the fish itself.

I just obtained one of these fish and hope I haven't made a horrid mistake. Not in greatest shaped from lfs. Any thought on feeding? My water parameters are great, as I specialize in Amazon tanks, but this creature worries me. Got it to eat some frozen mysis shrimp by literally holding it in front of it with a forceps - ye gods! Is this a problematic captive species. Any and all advice appreciated.

There's pretty good information on feeding in both and

You may want to have a look at the other species in the genus too (I didn't look further):

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Mats

Is this a problematic captive species

I don't think so, provided they have a large area of sand, gentle current and good quality water. They will eat anything when they are in good condition.

I would suggest frozen bloodworms, as most fish seem to be tempted by them. Also raising the temperature may stimulate the appetite and help the healing process. Aim for about 29C.

If he doesn't make it, I would only purchase healthy specimens in future.

Thank you both very much for the reply. I did check out all the info on the site before I purchased this fish and didn't forsee much of a problem. Unfortunately, here in S.E. Arizona, most fish are shipped in by only one distributor in Florida and there are two plane changes and a long truck ride before they even hit the store. It is a "crap shoot" with almost anything coming in. Believe me, I don't make it a practice to buy fish of questionable health. You would not believe the procedures I go through to maintain and raise Discus. Have a decent size grouping of S.A. plecos that are doing fine and even have bred a couple species for two years running. May have met my Waterloo with this one.
This website is absolutely fantastic and I just wish I had discovered it sooner! Thanks again!
Cheers.

Hikari wafers. My one loves them and frozen bloodworm.

Thank you so much, Chris, for the info!
Mine has started to eat bloodworms and frozen mysis shrimp but no interest yet in prepared wafers or pellets. I think this will be a long quarantine/adjustment period but at least things are looking up. I have no idea what the mouth looks like as am not about to mess with it but the mode of feeding, sweeping back and forth with those wonderful filaminted barbels, is fascinating. Do you keep yours in a species specific tank, or is it in a "community tank" with other inhabitants? Thank you so much for responding.

If he's feeding thats a really good sign. I would be confident that he will make it.

I keep mine in a "community" tank of softwater species from all over the world, although I am setting up my next tank mainly for them with a few other fish.

I hope to get some more and breed them.


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Thank you so much for the reply! I am hopeful also, but will feel beter when all foods are accepted. Thanks for the info on tank-mates. Due to a crowded household here, I will eventually try the fish in a community setting with other peaceful, non-intrusive fish. Thanks again so much for the reply!

I think the most important thing with these fish is the amount of open floor space they need.

A tank with just a bare sand bottom and very little decor doesn't look great, but its what they like.

Mine tend to have a tendency to panic sometimes and freak out by shooting into the plants and getting stuck there.

The new tank for them will have a footprint of 48" x 18" with very little decor, so they should do much better.

Oh, thank you again for input! It is wonderful to converse with others who "have gone before me" in keeping these guys. I am charmed by this little "troll" and if it continues to be a positive experience, I may try to acquire more. No problem here with a tank that is not heavily planted, and if the fish needs open space in the sand, then that is what it shall have! All the corys and plecs and synodontus have environments geared to their needs, so why not. Thanks again.

Hello,

Mine tend to have a tendency to panic sometimes and freak out by shooting into the plants and getting stuck there.

If you will set in some driftwood, where the individuals can hide, you will have not the problem that they are panic. In every tank with any Pseudohemiodon/Crossoloricaria or Planiloricaria I use driftwood. It is very helpful for the physical comfort.

best regards
Norman