Brachyrhamdia Imitator

imrandy85 · Post by **imrandy85** » 08 Mar 2007, 09:35

Hey everyone, new to planet catfish and just have a few questions and I think this is the right area for it but I'm not sure. Anyways...

I have found a local source of brachyrhamdia imitator and was wondering about them. Would one of these be happy with a school of corydoras? I can't find anywhere on the net that says whether or not these are schooling fish. I know they mimic C. Melanistius but are there other fish that b. imitator would school along with? The most common corydoras species around me are c. paleatus, c. aeneus, albino c. aeneus, c. panda and "spotted cory"(I haven't paid to much attention to those so I don't really know what species they are). Anything else you could tell me about them would be great.

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 08 Mar 2007, 11:11

I think this topic will be replaced, but still.

I have 2 species of Brachyrhamdia, total 3 individuals, not the B imitator, and they seem to be semi-social - thus they are not agrwessive towards each other, but more or less indifferent.

I had them with Corydoras (not much alike) but they did not follow the Corydoras. I think the Brachyrhamdia only follows Corydoras it looks like, but can't say for sure

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 08 Mar 2007, 17:26

They are an interesting genus of cats. Never actually seen them for sale in the USA.

Dave Rinaldo · Post by **Dave Rinaldo** » 08 Mar 2007, 21:52

apistomaster wrote:They are an interesting genus of cats. Never actually seen them for sale in the USA.

They've been available in my area for a couple of months.!

apistomaster · Post by **apistomaster** » 08 Mar 2007, 22:25

Hi Dave,
That is good to hear. You may be able to relate to my circumstances. Other than through the internet access to on-line vendors I live in a rural area.
We still have Mountain lions and Bighornsheep within 15 miles of my house.

Except for occassional trips out of town I have to ship in everything that is rare or unsual.

I am as much into flyfishing for wild trout as I am raising wild Discus. I am dead center located in some of the best wild trout waters of the world.

Sometimes that means I can't easily find a particular tropical fish I want to breed.
This past week has brought me close to completing the fishes I want to work with. I've added 5 Hypancistrus zebra, 10 Corydoras weitzmanni and 12 Coral Red Pencils, a pair of Crencichla regani and I just may have some Crenicara maculata this time next week.

naturalart · Post by **naturalart** » 23 Mar 2007, 07:43

Hello imrandy85, I remember reading somewhere that B. imitator is a social catfish. I remember reading (and dont quote me on this!) that the fish were fairly peaceful with each other when they were mixed into their 'host' cory group. But when a group of B. imitator were keep together without their 'host' cory group they were really nasty with one another.

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 23 Mar 2007, 11:08

I never read about nastyness for Brachyrhamdia, but I did read B species lose much of the shyness/ nocturnal behaviou with the right Corydoras species.

Here we get a problem when the B species is not identified: Which Cory is the right one? I keep mine without any corydoras (there were not interested in C schwartzi when I combined them) and they are not nasty, neither shy, but fairly nocturnal

naturalart · Post by **naturalart** » 24 Mar 2007, 13:21

Well, there you go, thanks for the info Bas (if I may call you that). Real experience always trumps second hand info. I am interested in this fish because someday I would like to care for a group of these fish along with a 'host' group of corys. And info on these fish is very welcome as it seems there is very little written about these fish. Do you plan on trying other melanistic corys with them. And what species of Brachyrhamdia do you have?

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 24 Mar 2007, 19:06

naturalart wrote:Well, there you go, thanks for the info Bas

please do

Do you plan on trying other melanistic corys with them. And what species of Brachyrhamdia do you have?

I am certain i have 2 species, bevcause one has colorless dorsal fins - 2 fishes, and the other, last one has a blackone.

However, I cant give you any name, in fact I had to identify them as Brachy in the shop, and than discuss a fair price. I cant tell you how much, but beleave me it was very reasonable indeed

Regarding futher tries, I'm mostly in Central American cich lids and Uruguayan fishes. Thus my interest has shifted away from these brachys. I would offer you them freely, but ther is some ocean, and a continent, between.

But if you ever happen to be in the neighborhood.......