Cephalosilurus apurensis • Pseudopimelodidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Cephalosilurus apurensis** (Mees, 1978)
Common Name(s)	Apure Jelly Catfish, Orange Catfish
Type Locality	Río Arichuna, near San Pedro, Rincón hondo, Apure, Venezuela.
Synonym(s)	Pseudopimelodus apurensis
Pronunciation	ah poor en siss
Etymology	Specifically named for Apure, a region of Venezuela.
Species Information
Size	300mm (11.8") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Smaller than C. fowleri and with a dull yellow as opposed to orange background colour.
Sexing	Females larger and much more aggressive, very distinguishable dimorphism by venting especially at larger sizes.
General Remarks	A great pet fish, very personable, taking food from your hands (be careful to keep them out of harms way - you might get bitten).
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America: Rio Arichuna, Apure, Venezuela. Orinoco, Middle Orinoco, Apurito, Matiyure, Arichuna (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	6.4 - 7.8
Other Parameters	The original description notes that specimens were collected in "brown" water with high turbidity, slow current and substrate of mud and leaves. The water was 26.5 C with a pH of 5.5
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Will eat any ''meaty'' type foods with a little variety thrown in: fish (previously frozen or fresh), krill, shrimp, earthworms, mice, rats, sinking pellets, shrimp pellets. In nature, eats live fish of considerable size, although the feeding of live fish in captivity to this species is not necessary. Aside being controversial from an ethical perspective, it risks introducing parasites and other potential diseases.
Furniture	Caves, driftwood, sand, floating plants.
Compatibility	Very aggressive and not shy. One aquarist reports their large female has attempted to eat 10'' cichlids with death coming to the cichlid by suffocation. Although unable to swallow them she would hold them by their entire head to the gill plates until they expired and would continue holding on even while the fish was being yanked from her!
Suggested Tankmates	Best kept alone or in the most bullish of considerably larger company.
Breeding	Unreported.
Further Information
References	Zool. Meded. (Leiden) v. 53 (no. 23) 253 Pl. 1 Ros, Christopher & Ros, Wolfgang (2007): Cephalosilurus apurensis - Ein gefräßiger Lauerräuber, aber nicht ohne Charme, in: ?Die Aquarien- und Terrarienzeitschrift? (Datz) 60 (5): 38-42.
Registered Keepers	(1) amiidae, (2) yellowcat (k: 2), who also notes: "Acquired @ 5", 2 1/2 years later-now 2010 and at 20" and still growing, massive!", (3) Koltsix, who also notes: "By far my favorite catfish. They will eat anything offered to them and are afraid of nothing. He made an enemy of my ex-wife when he consumed her Red Devil Cichlid who was only 1 inch smaller than himself in length.", (4) CFC, (5) Kenny Tay, (6) allim, (7) 2poc. 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	- Shane's World Species A voracious ambush-predator not without charm
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Last Update	2011 Sep 20 09:09 (species record created: 2005 Apr 17 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Cephalosilurus apurensis (Mees, 1978)

Common Name(s)

Apure Jelly Catfish, Orange Catfish

Type Locality

Río Arichuna, near San Pedro, Rincón hondo, Apure, Venezuela.

Synonym(s)

Pseudopimelodus apurensis

Pronunciation

ah poor en siss

Etymology

Specifically named for Apure, a region of Venezuela.

Species Information

Size

300mm (11.8") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Smaller than C. fowleri and with a dull yellow as opposed to orange background colour.

Sexing

Females larger and much more aggressive, very distinguishable dimorphism by venting especially at larger sizes.

General Remarks

A great pet fish, very personable, taking food from your hands (be careful to keep them out of harms way - you might get bitten).

Habitat Information

Distribution

South America: Rio Arichuna, Apure, Venezuela.
Orinoco, Middle Orinoco, Apurito, Matiyure, Arichuna (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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

6.4 - 7.8

Other Parameters

The original description notes that specimens were collected in "brown" water with high turbidity, slow current and substrate of mud and leaves. The water was 26.5 C with a pH of 5.5

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Will eat any ''meaty'' type foods with a little variety thrown in: fish (previously frozen or fresh), krill, shrimp, earthworms, mice, rats, sinking pellets, shrimp pellets. In nature, eats live fish of considerable size, although the feeding of live fish in captivity to this species is not necessary. Aside being controversial from an ethical perspective, it risks introducing parasites and other potential diseases.

Furniture

Caves, driftwood, sand, floating plants.

Compatibility

Very aggressive and not shy. One aquarist reports their large female has attempted to eat 10'' cichlids with death coming to the cichlid by suffocation. Although unable to swallow them she would hold them by their entire head to the gill plates until they expired and would continue holding on even while the fish was being yanked from her!

Suggested Tankmates

Best kept alone or in the most bullish of considerably larger company.

Breeding

Unreported.

Further Information

References

Zool. Meded. (Leiden) v. 53 (no. 23) 253 Pl. 1
Ros, Christopher & Ros, Wolfgang (2007): Cephalosilurus apurensis - Ein gefräßiger Lauerräuber, aber nicht ohne Charme, in: ?Die Aquarien- und Terrarienzeitschrift? (Datz) 60 (5): 38-42.

Registered Keepers

(1) amiidae, (2) yellowcat (k: 2), who also notes: "Acquired @ 5", 2 1/2 years later-now 2010 and at 20" and still growing, massive!", (3) Koltsix, who also notes: "By far my favorite catfish. They will eat anything offered to them and are afraid of nothing. He made an enemy of my ex-wife when he consumed her Red Devil Cichlid who was only 1 inch smaller than himself in length.", (4) CFC, (5) Kenny Tay, (6) allim, (7) 2poc.

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