Cephalosilurus info

[kp90, posts: 4]

I visited a local store today and was looking at what they had labelled as a Oremon Catfish. C. fowleri was what turned up for this common name, but from looking at the cat-e-log they might be C. apurensis.

There were 2 of them somewhere in the 6-8" (approx. 150-200mm) range sharing a cave together. Couldn't get an accurate size as one only had it's head showing, and the other just the body. They have had these two fish for a couple of months, have always housed them together. The only incidents they mentioned was that they ate some parrot fish they were previously housed with. They were currently housed with an ornate bichir, some red hook silver dollars, and a golden belly shark. The tankmates were slightly larger than the catfish. The only tankmate that seemed to be in rough shape was the golden belly shark which was a trade in. While watching the cats they didn't even pay attention to their tankmates.

From what I have been reading they are not supposed to get along with each other.

Any ideas why these two are fine with each other? Is this likely to last? Also would they be likely to attack doradid catfish that are larger then themselves?

[Richard B, posts: 6306]

Large doradids are one of the few tankmates i'd recomend.

These are still smallcompared to how big they could get & aggresssion between the individuals might well increase as they grow or if they were moved to a smaller tank.

The dollars are a very quick fish so may well be escaping any attacks but ultimately they are just a snack in waiting - a full grown individual would certainly eat a silver dollar.

What species is a golden belly shark?

[Shane]

Also would they be likely to attack doradid catfish that are larger then themselves?

Eventually they will try to eat anything they are kept with. They will even kill themselves trying. I have seen pseudopims try to take fish twice their own size and then choke to death on their own prey.

-Shane

[Viktor Jarikov, posts: 2277]

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=30284&hilit=+cephalosilurus

I had three of them between 1' and 2' in my 40'x6'x3' pond. They fought sometimes. There were plenty of other small and big fish in that pond. I never noticed them try to kill any of them. This lasted 1 year or so.

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=29488&hilit=+cephalosilurus

Please use the search function to read up more on this site - there is plenty good info. E.g., look for yellowcat's posts - that's hos kind of cats. And, of course, Wolfgang Ross (not sure about the last name), who wrote the "cat of the month" article on them.

But I never had any reason not to believe Shane. What he is saying is that sooner or later this will occur. Lots of space and keeping them fed will alleviate but never eradicate the problem. It's not unlike keeping a tiger in your home. Even if you raised it from a tiny cub, one day it will remember it is a killing machine.

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=32290&hilit=+cephalosilurus

[kp90, posts: 4]

What species is a golden belly shark?

Hypsibarbus wetmorei, this is the local common name they are usually labelled as.

Eventually they will try to eat anything they are kept with. They will even kill themselves trying. I have seen pseudopims try to take fish twice their own size and then choke to death on their own prey.

-Shane

Thanks for the information. Are all pseudopims this prone to trying to eat tankmates?

Please use the search function to read up more on this site - there is plenty good info. E.g., look for yellowcat's posts - that's hos kind of cats. And, of course, Wolfgang Ross (not sure about the last name), who wrote the "cat of the month" article on them.

Already did, that was actually the first thing that I did. Research, research, research.

[Shane]

Thanks for the information. Are all pseudopims this prone to trying to eat tankmates?

Batrochoglanis, Cephalosilurus, Lophiosilurus, and Pseudopimelodus yes. Microglanis not so much. I remember Lee Finley telling me, many years ago, a story about a four inch Pseudopimelodus that ate an eight inch Farlowella. The pseudopim spent several days digesting a bit, swallowing more, digesting a bit, swallowing more, etc until the Farlowella was all gone.
-Shane

[kp90, posts: 4]

Batrochoglanis, Cephalosilurus, Lophiosilurus, and Pseudopimelodus yes. Microglanis not so much. I remember Lee Finley telling me, many years ago, a story about a four inch Pseudopimelodus that ate an eight inch Farlowella. The pseudopim spent several days digesting a bit, swallowing more, digesting a bit, swallowing more, etc until the Farlowella was all gone.
-Shane

Lophiosilurus too? I had heard they weren't as bad as some of the other cats from this family, not aggressive and better with tankmates provided that tankmates are at least half the size.

[sidguppy, posts: 3827]

I have never kept the big uns; but I found Batrochoglanis raninus to be quite peaceful and harmless to inhabitants of the same size

I had a group of 3 and they never made any effort to eat any tankmates, although there were several that only had half their length and some others that were as long as them, but thin and/or eelshaped.

I remember Marc keeping them (more than 20 years ago) and his also never tried to feed on tankmates which were of their own size.

it's an interesting fish to keep, but quite shy (although not as invisible as Microglanis) and even more peaceful

I have had the experience that other fish can easily bully or harm the Batrachoglanis; it can get stressed or perish when it's harassed.....

the combination with medium sized Synodontis for example was a disaster, but not for the Syno.....