PlanetCatfish.com

Following on from various postings on this thread
http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... 00#p242239

about the identity of this species and whether it is adult T. dunni (which is what the reviser of Tatia thinks, as well as me, though not fully convinced) - I thought I would add some comparative photos of the other 'dunni' I have.

Compare a 12cm SL female of the sp. Rio Nanay:




With a 7cm SL female of 'dunni':




Approx. 15cm SL male of the sp. Rio Nanay:





With a 5cm SL male of 'dunni':

Excellent Steve.

I totally understand your reasoning that they are all the same species and you may be right, though I disagree.

The patterning and colour on my Rio Nanay specimens (nice name!) is perhaps more distinct and I'll try to get some clear shots over the weekend. We know these can change as a fish matures.

I still wonder why it is, that T Dunni of other aquarists show no signs of growing to anything like the size of T. Rio Nanay?
And why do these fish behave totally differently? By all accounts T Dunni is extremely reclusive, whereas T Rio Nanay are quite bold.

Richard

Good thread! So, all I can really add is my T. dunni have not grown more than a few mm in a year.

Jools

I'm not convinced they are the same, just that it is a possibility.

We have to be careful with colour/pattern because as you say this can alter as the fish grows and can be different among populations, though I've always wondered why the small female you had has black lines on the body whereas my similar sized female 'dunni' has no such markings.

With regards to behaviour this too can be misleading because mine are reclusive so I think it depends on tankmates and set up.

The size thing, well again not conclusive but yes my 'dunni' (especially the male) have hardly grown much at all.

I'm thinking of asking my mate if he will allow me use of one of his tanks in his new fish house to separate them off to try and get them to spawn. Any suggestions on the process?

Here's a brief vid of my pair feeding, first the female and then the male...



I've observed them mating regularly, but no eggs have been laid, yet.
They are in a standard 3' tank, room-lit, currently in soft slightly acidic water, 83degF, cold w/cs every other day although sometimes I leave it for longer. They have open-ended pipes and closed pipes to choose from.

They swim really quite differently from T. dunni; the back third of the fish appears much more flexible.

Jools

Wow .. arnt they looking good ... very nice Richard the head /mouth dont look the same to me .?

Great looking fish...

What are you feeding them in the video??

Thanks

Hi characinkid,

its a homemade shrimp meal with a few extra ingredients... seems to work.
I've posted how I make it before, don't ask me where though.
I understand quite a few people make it, adding their own ingredients.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... ix#p174525

Wrasse - is this the post you meant?

Would you suggest adding the male to the spawning tank first or both at once?

When we saw these fish, newly arrived at Pier Aquatics, I thought - Go for it! They looked so good that maybe they would mate and spawn very soon after settling in a tank.
So, that's what I did... a pair, together from the start, on their own.
I think they are mating every day, the female is very ripe...