Marbled Raphael Catfish, Marbled Talking Catfish - Amblydoras nauticus (Cope, 1874)
by Julian Dignall, uploaded February 01, 2003

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Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Amblydoras nauticus** (Cope, 1874)
Common Name(s)	Marbled Raphael Catfish, Marbled Talking Catfish
Synonym(s)	Anadoras nauticus, Zathorax nauticus
Pronunciation	am blee door ass - naw tik uss
Etymology	Amblydoras: From the Greek amblys, meaning blunt and doras, meaning skin (also a word commonly used in forming generic names for doradids); in reference to the non-serrated dorsal spine.
Species Information
Size	75mm (3") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Reasonably easy to ID although young fish can look quite variable. Some degree of sexual dichromatism exists and the males bear a resemblance to the larger Anadoras grypus. Very often sold under the incorrect name of Amblydoras hancockii.
Sexing	Some keepers report that the underside of female is creamy white, the male is freckled as shown below. Males are more slender than the wider (when viewed from above or below) females.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Upper Amazon River basin, Peru. Amazon, Upper Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there) (Click the map-icon to show/hide map of species distribution)
Other Parameters	This species is not fussy regarding water parameters.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	A nocturnal scavenger. Younger fish tend to be a little more active during the day, but the best way to ensure this fish is properly fed is to introduce sinking food into the tank after dark. Most foods are accepted gluttonously. Individuals will gorge themselves on food to the point of appearing fit to burst.
Furniture	Does not harm plants and all that is really required is a dark place in which the catfish can find refuge. Care must be taken that this is no where near the heater element as these fish will wedge themselves between the heater and the aquarium wall and may burn themselves.
Compatibility	A perfect community tank resident.
Suggested Tankmates	As all doradids, does well with its conspecifics and other members of the same family. Can be kept with anything from tetras to medium sized cichlids.
Breeding	Has not been documented in the aquarium but reports do exist of reproduction in the wild which involves a bubble nest built in plants which the male guards. The author has collected very small ( < 10 mm SL) young Amblydoras in semi-aquatic reeds and partially submerged shrubs. No adults were collected in water about 45 cm deep. Youngsters were everywhere and one swipe of the net could turn up 10 or more young.
Further Information
References	Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia v. 26
Registered Keepers	(1) TP (k: 4), (2) kcmt01, (3) Chrysichthys (k: 2), (4) corybreed (k: 4), (5) soltarii007, (6) Kattes, (7) kvnbyl (k: 5), (8) geoffkemp (k: 3), who also notes: "A Great species, likes to bury itself in a sandy substrate. Beware, though, likes to feed on "carrion", as I found to my cost.", (9) johnny1073, (10) Birger Amundsen, (11) zedogz, (12) allim, (13) smegforbrains, (14) bluescotty23, (15) fischkringli, (16) The.Dark.One, (17) arcsb, (18) miles3, (19) knifegill (p: 2), (20) electrophyste, (21) Phyllonemus, (22) Bas Pels (k: 6), (23) hankinswood, (24) JamieH (k: 2), (25) RaYne. 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
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Hits	11099 hits.
Last Update	2010 Jan 27 10:17 (species record created: 2001 Apr 19 00:00)

Cat-eLog Data Sheet

Scientific Name

Amblydoras nauticus (Cope, 1874)

Common Name(s)

Marbled Raphael Catfish, Marbled Talking Catfish

Synonym(s)

Anadoras nauticus, Zathorax nauticus

Pronunciation

am blee door ass - naw tik uss

Etymology

Amblydoras: From the Greek amblys, meaning blunt and doras, meaning skin (also a word commonly used in forming generic names for doradids); in reference to the non-serrated dorsal spine.

Species Information

Size

75mm (3") SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.

Identification

Reasonably easy to ID although young fish can look quite variable. Some degree of sexual dichromatism exists and the males bear a resemblance to the larger Anadoras grypus. Very often sold under the incorrect name of Amblydoras hancockii.

Sexing

Some keepers report that the underside of female is creamy white, the male is freckled as shown below. Males are more slender than the wider (when viewed from above or below) females.

Habitat Information

Distribution

Upper Amazon River basin, Peru.
Amazon, Upper Amazon (click on these areas to find other species found there)

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

Other Parameters

This species is not fussy regarding water parameters.

Husbandry Information

Feeding

A nocturnal scavenger. Younger fish tend to be a little more active during the day, but the best way to ensure this fish is properly fed is to introduce sinking food into the tank after dark. Most foods are accepted gluttonously. Individuals will gorge themselves on food to the point of appearing fit to burst.

Furniture

Does not harm plants and all that is really required is a dark place in which the catfish can find refuge. Care must be taken that this is no where near the heater element as these fish will wedge themselves between the heater and the aquarium wall and may burn themselves.

Compatibility

A perfect community tank resident.

Suggested Tankmates

As all doradids, does well with its conspecifics and other members of the same family. Can be kept with anything from tetras to medium sized cichlids.

Breeding

Has not been documented in the aquarium but reports do exist of reproduction in the wild which involves a bubble nest built in plants which the male guards. The author has collected very small ( < 10 mm SL) young Amblydoras in semi-aquatic reeds and partially submerged shrubs. No adults were collected in water about 45 cm deep. Youngsters were everywhere and one swipe of the net could turn up 10 or more young.

Further Information

References

Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia v. 26

Registered Keepers

(1) TP (k: 4), (2) kcmt01, (3) Chrysichthys (k: 2), (4) corybreed (k: 4), (5) soltarii007, (6) Kattes, (7) kvnbyl (k: 5), (8) geoffkemp (k: 3), who also notes: "A Great species, likes to bury itself in a sandy substrate. Beware, though, likes to feed on "carrion", as I found to my cost.", (9) johnny1073, (10) Birger Amundsen, (11) zedogz, (12) allim, (13) smegforbrains, (14) bluescotty23, (15) fischkringli, (16) The.Dark.One, (17) arcsb, (18) miles3, (19) knifegill (p: 2), (20) electrophyste, (21) Phyllonemus, (22) Bas Pels (k: 6), (23) hankinswood, (24) JamieH (k: 2), (25) RaYne.

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