Hemidoras stenopeltis • Doradidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Hemidoras stenopeltis** (Kner, 1855)
Common Name(s)	Mouse Catfish
Type Locality	Rio Negro, Amazon system, Brazil.
Synonym(s)	Doras stenopeltis
Etymology	Hemidoras: From the Greek hemi, meaning half, and doras, meaning skin (also a word commonly used in forming generic names for doradids); in reference to the similarity to Doras (another doradid genus).
Species Information
Size	120mm (4.7") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	The black top mouse catfish is very similar to another mouse catfish, Nemadoras leporhinus, the main visual difference being the latter's clear dorsal fin with a black marking at its base. Aside from that N. leporhinus has longer leading fin rays. Key characters are deep plates, pointed humeral process (vs. rounded in Leptodoras), short pointed snout, plates along back (also along ventral midline before anal fin) and tip of dorsal fin dipped in black.
Sexing	Adult males have what seems to be an enlarged dorsal spine. This is however a filament (as for instance can be seen in Synodontis decora). Females lack this feature.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: Rio Amazonas basin common in the area around Iquitos, Peru. Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	6.0 - 7.6
Temperature	22.0-25.5°C or 71.6-77.9°F (Show others within this range)
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Until acclimatized, the fish appears quite selective and like small foods. Crushed flake or sinking flake-based tablets best for smaller individuals although brineshrimp is taken by species around the 2'' mark. Larger, more settled fish are easier to feed and become very active during feeding.
Furniture	Dense vegetation empowers this fish with a much needed sense of confidence in its surroundings. Caves or dark refuges appear less important.
Compatibility	Not aggressive and, as with all Doradids, sociable with its own species. Smaller fish appear to have an innate fear of larger fish and becomes very shy in their presence.
Suggested Tankmates	Shoaling tetras and Brochis are ideal. Dwarf cichlids and smaller labyrinth fish (Gouramis etc) are also suitably gentile. Larger, acclimatized fish will do well in a medium to large community set-up. At any size, best kept in shoals to ensure greater boldness and health.
Breeding	Unreported.
Further Information
References	Sitzungsber. Akad. Wiss. Wienv. 17 - pp142 [53] - Pl. 4 (fig. 7)
Registered Keepers	(1) inspiritid, (2) sidguppy (k: 3), (3) Marc van Arc. Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.
Breeding Reports	None.
Articles	- CotM 2000 November
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Last Update	2013 May 21 12:24 (species record created: 2001 Apr 21 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Hemidoras stenopeltis (Kner, 1855)

Common Name(s)

Mouse Catfish

Type Locality

Rio Negro, Amazon system, Brazil.

Synonym(s)

Doras stenopeltis

Etymology

Hemidoras: From the Greek hemi, meaning half, and doras, meaning skin (also a word commonly used in forming generic names for doradids); in reference to the similarity to Doras (another doradid genus).

Species Information

Size

120mm (4.7") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

The black top mouse catfish is very similar to another mouse catfish, Nemadoras leporhinus, the main visual difference being the latter's clear dorsal fin with a black marking at its base. Aside from that N. leporhinus has longer leading fin rays. Key characters are deep plates, pointed humeral process (vs. rounded in Leptodoras), short pointed snout, plates along back (also along ventral midline before anal fin) and tip of dorsal fin dipped in black.

Sexing

Adult males have what seems to be an enlarged dorsal spine. This is however a filament (as for instance can be seen in Synodontis decora). Females lack this feature.

Habitat Information

Distribution

South America: Rio Amazonas basin common in the area around Iquitos, Peru.
Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there)

(Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)

6.0 - 7.6

Temperature

22.0-25.5°C or 71.6-77.9°F (Show others within this range)

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Until acclimatized, the fish appears quite selective and like small foods. Crushed flake or sinking flake-based tablets best for smaller individuals although brineshrimp is taken by species around the 2'' mark. Larger, more settled fish are easier to feed and become very active during feeding.

Furniture

Dense vegetation empowers this fish with a much needed sense of confidence in its surroundings. Caves or dark refuges appear less important.

Compatibility

Not aggressive and, as with all Doradids, sociable with its own species. Smaller fish appear to have an innate fear of larger fish and becomes very shy in their presence.

Suggested Tankmates

Shoaling tetras and Brochis are ideal. Dwarf cichlids and smaller labyrinth fish (Gouramis etc) are also suitably gentile. Larger, acclimatized fish will do well in a medium to large community set-up. At any size, best kept in shoals to ensure greater boldness and health.

Breeding

Unreported.

Further Information

References

Sitzungsber. Akad. Wiss. Wienv. 17 - pp142 [53] - Pl. 4 (fig. 7)

Registered Keepers

(1) inspiritid, (2) sidguppy (k: 3), (3) Marc van Arc.

Click on a username above to see all that persons registered catfish species. You can also view all "my cats" data for this species.

Breeding Reports

None.

Articles