Orinocodoras eigenmanni • Doradidae • Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Orinocodoras eigenmanni** Myers, 1927
Common Name(s)	Eigenmann's Talking Catfish, Orinoco Talking Catfish
Type Locality	Caño de Quiribana near Caicara, Venezuela.
Pronunciation	or in oko DOOR ass - ay gen MAN eye
Etymology	Orinocodoras: From the Orinoco River and doras, meaning skin (also a word commonly used in forming generic names for doradids); in reference to the distribution. Species named in honour of Dr. Carl H. Eigenmann, Professor of Ichthyology in Indiana (1863-1927).
Species Information
Size	200mm (7.9") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Can be distinguished from Platydoras armatulus, the striped or humbug talking catfish, as follows: snout is more pointed, whereas P. armatulus has a rounded snout. Eyes of O. eigenmanni are smaller. O. eigenmanni has a longer adipose fin. The skin of O. eigenmanni looks less plated and in almost like sandpaper in areas. Generally, the 'Orinoco' is by far the most elegant fish of the two. Soemtimes imported under incorrect names. Anyone who is interested in O. eigenmanni must look carefully through shipments of P. armatulus, for that is where they may be. And if so, you will easily spot them.
Sexing	Males are smaller and slighter. In larger fish a top view may give something away: males are more slender, adult females are more than 25% larger than similarly mature males. Differences in belly colouration have little to do with gender.
General Remarks	A monotypic genus.
Habitat Information
Distribution	The Orinoco drainage system, Venezuela. Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
pH	6.0 - 7.8
Temperature	22.0-27.0°C or 71.6-80.6°F (Show others within this range)
Other Parameters	A hardy fish that will adapt to most conditions. Moderate current is preferred.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	Will eat anything; particularly fond of bloodworms and pellets or tablets. Is very visible when fed, even during the day.
Furniture	Driftwood for hiding places. However, as the fish grows quite large, see to it that it remains able to swim. If necessary redecorate. Will not ruin plants. Ensure heater is not used as a hiding place.
Compatibility	A community fish for medium to larger aquariums; not suited for life with very aggressive fish or very, very small fish, the later may accidentally be regarded as food.
Suggested Tankmates	Goes very well with other peaceful catfish and characins. Can be kept alone, as a pair but best in a small group.
Breeding	Unreported.
Further Information
References	Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool.v. 68 (no. 3) - pp124 Burgess Atlas page 585 misnamed as Megalodoras sp. Mayland: Welse aus aller Welt page 72 Mayland: Welse aus allen Erdteilen page 108 Sands: Vol.4 page 38 Franke: Welskunde page 192 Not in Mergus volumes so far. Maximum lengths in the above mentioned books are between 12 and 16 cm, but aquarist report them as getting larger. Perhaps only females.
Registered Keepers	(1) Dave Rinaldo, (2) ali12345, (3) lazymf, (4) vyperboy, (5) big_tank_boy, (6) Mike C (k: 4), (7) Wiccatfish, (8) MatsP (p: 2, k: 8), (9) JamieH (k: 2), (10) knifegill, (11) Jools (k: 5), (12) tijani, (13) maynard1982, (14) Sam (k: 4), (15) DeepFriedIctalurus (k: 5), (16) ilikefishme, (17) james gilbertson, who also notes: "Never see this fish much, only when i turn the lights on in the morning", (18) MattP (k: 4), (19) Junttis (k: 2), (20) jc_jc, (21) Misiak, (22) miguel mitchel. 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 2010 August
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Last Update	2013 Jan 04 09:49 (species record created: 2001 May 15 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Orinocodoras eigenmanni Myers, 1927

Common Name(s)

Eigenmann's Talking Catfish, Orinoco Talking Catfish

Type Locality

Caño de Quiribana near Caicara, Venezuela.

Pronunciation

or in oko DOOR ass - ay gen MAN eye

Etymology

Orinocodoras: From the Orinoco River and doras, meaning skin (also a word commonly used in forming generic names for doradids); in reference to the distribution. Species named in honour of Dr. Carl H. Eigenmann, Professor of Ichthyology in Indiana (1863-1927).

Species Information

Size

200mm (7.9") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Can be distinguished from Platydoras armatulus, the striped or humbug talking catfish, as follows: snout is more pointed, whereas P. armatulus has a rounded snout. Eyes of O. eigenmanni are smaller. O. eigenmanni has a longer adipose fin. The skin of O. eigenmanni looks less plated and in almost like sandpaper in areas. Generally, the 'Orinoco' is by far the most elegant fish of the two.

Soemtimes imported under incorrect names. Anyone who is interested in O. eigenmanni must look carefully through shipments of P. armatulus, for that is where they may be. And if so, you will easily spot them.

Sexing

Males are smaller and slighter. In larger fish a top view may give something away: males are more slender, adult females are more than 25% larger than similarly mature males. Differences in belly colouration have little to do with gender.

General Remarks

A monotypic genus.

Habitat Information

Distribution

The Orinoco drainage system, Venezuela.
Orinoco (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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

6.0 - 7.8

Temperature

22.0-27.0°C or 71.6-80.6°F (Show others within this range)

Other Parameters

A hardy fish that will adapt to most conditions. Moderate current is preferred.

Husbandry Information

Feeding

Will eat anything; particularly fond of bloodworms and pellets or tablets. Is very visible when fed, even during the day.

Furniture

Driftwood for hiding places. However, as the fish grows quite large, see to it that it remains able to swim. If necessary redecorate. Will not ruin plants. Ensure heater is not used as a hiding place.

Compatibility

A community fish for medium to larger aquariums; not suited for life with very aggressive fish or very, very small fish, the later may accidentally be regarded as food.

Suggested Tankmates

Goes very well with other peaceful catfish and characins. Can be kept alone, as a pair but best in a small group.

Breeding

Unreported.

Further Information

References

Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool.v. 68 (no. 3) - pp124
Burgess Atlas page 585 misnamed as Megalodoras sp.
Mayland: Welse aus aller Welt page 72
Mayland: Welse aus allen Erdteilen page 108
Sands: Vol.4 page 38
Franke: Welskunde page 192
Not in Mergus volumes so far.
Maximum lengths in the above mentioned books are between 12 and 16 cm, but aquarist report them as getting larger. Perhaps only females.

Registered Keepers

(1) Dave Rinaldo, (2) ali12345, (3) lazymf, (4) vyperboy, (5) big_tank_boy, (6) Mike C (k: 4), (7) Wiccatfish, (8) MatsP (p: 2, k: 8), (9) JamieH (k: 2), (10) knifegill, (11) Jools (k: 5), (12) tijani, (13) maynard1982, (14) Sam (k: 4), (15) DeepFriedIctalurus (k: 5), (16) ilikefishme, (17) james gilbertson, who also notes: "Never see this fish much, only when i turn the lights on in the morning", (18) MattP (k: 4), (19) Junttis (k: 2), (20) jc_jc, (21) Misiak, (22) miguel mitchel.

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