PlanetCatfish.com

hi there, i purchased a small giraffe cat today (4")

i understand that they lose the giraffe like markings as they mature,and was wondering if anyone has any pics of adults??

also any expiernces, advice on this species also welcome.

They get quite big. They also become a pain when they start uprooting and digging around, destroying pretty much everything not glued to the tank.

Rusty

Here's an adult without the giraffe-like markings.

I have a juvie as well in my Tanganyika tank (I know, I know; 2 meters is too small...)

adopted him when the other two in my couisins' tank made it very hard for him.
It was a 3" baby, now a happy 6 1/2" that keeps on growing.
He certainly digs! but so far leaves the plants where they are. I DO have those anchored with pieces of rock, and I check the whole rock-piles again and again (there are 4 Triglachromis in there too...).

I've got a 2-3"layer of fine sand, wich certainly is very clean. NO worries of any anaeroob bacteria in this tub!

The whole trick is adding plenty sand, so the cat can dig as much as he wants. They're certainly fun to have, even the tiniest Lophio is perfectly safe.He -the Auchenoglanis- is visible most of the day, and is getting very tame. There isn't a single nip in his fins, all the other inhabitants tolerate him.(among them buggers like Tropheus and Astatotilapia!)

A tip from Dr. Pavlov:

If you see the giraffe digging, don't feed it right then. Its dim little catfish brain will associate the food with the digging.

Feed it when it is doing something else. It will learn to feed from your hand and this will also reduce the digging.