PlanetCatfish.com

was looking at a cat fish that was black with a yellow strip down its side with what looked like spikes down it does any 1 know what it is will try and get a pic off a m8t who has 1

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Hover the curser over the word in purple...

yep thats it take it you cant handle this fish with them spikes ?

beanyboy1982 wrote:

yep thats it take it you cant handle this fish with them spikes ?

Okay, here's my silly question of the day:
There's at least 138 people who have this fish on this forum alone so I know it's a popular catfish to have, so, um,what do you mean by 'handle it'? Handfeed or simply pick the fish up?
If it's to pick it up, someone here could probably advise you on how to hold it safely (for you and the fish) but I just wasn't sure what exactly you meant.

They can certainly be handled but if they wrap their body around a finger & lock themselves into position it can be a little uncomfortable, but rarely breaks the skin. it can be problematic to catch in a net as the scutes along the sides & pectoral & dorsal spines can become entangled.

One of their close relatives can produce a toxic secretion form a pectoral gland which will kill other fish in the confines of an aquarium. This species is a medium sized doradid & can be kept easily in a good sized aquarium (there is a recent record of a captive spawing). It is certainly easier to keep than some of it's bigger cousins than can reach 3 feet plus.

thanks richard i ment as in picking it up

beanyboy1982 wrote:thanks richard i ment as in picking it up

In that case i would recommend scooping it, or guiding it into a plastic container of some sort - ice cream tub, plastic measuring jug etc That way you get the water too & the fish is less stressed...

it can be a little uncomfortable, but rarely breaks the skin.

if you make the mistake of grabbing a fully grown 8-10" fish; it'll break the skin alright

sidguppy wrote:

it can be a little uncomfortable, but rarely breaks the skin.

if you make the mistake of grabbing a fully grown 8-10" fish; it'll break the skin alright

Yes indeedy! (& don't i know it ye-ouch!) However the smaller more often encountered specimens haven't quite got the body power. Larger doradids need a wet towel & a strong pair of arms or real big plastic container if you're considering capturing them from a tank - do not take this up lightly!!!

I didn't even dare trying with my Platydoras amatulus - from the monment they passed 10 cm, I weither netted them, or used a plastic container. I like seeing them, but I don't dare handling them

mwoah, bas

you already have the steel plated knight's helmet; now just buy the gauntlet that comes with it and you can safely handle your fish