Search found 2907 matches

by Bas Pels
19 Jul 2024, 07:43
Forum: African Catfishes
Topic: Featherfin & Petricola temperature?
Replies: 6
Views: 192

Re: Featherfin & Petricola temperature?

They both come from the same water. Lake Tanganyica, so yes it should be the same. I myself don't keep fishes from that lake, so I cannot tell you. However, keeping Lake Tanganyica fishes together with tetras from rivers wille not be a good idea - the tetrs will prefer softer water. I would reshuffl...
by Bas Pels
03 Jul 2024, 07:30
Forum: South American Catfishes (Everything else)
Topic: Raphael's are very fat?
Replies: 3
Views: 369

Re: Raphael's are very fat?

My Platydoras did come out when I fed the other fishes, always during the day. They ate anything I fed.

I always thought a happy, healthy Platydoras is fat.

I've kept them for 27 years or so, but one day an illness killed both of them, together with two Pterogoblichthys gibbiceps of 23 years old
by Bas Pels
26 Jun 2024, 08:09
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Fossil loricariid in Africa
Replies: 9
Views: 1089

Re: Fossil loricariid in Africa

Can anyone explain how A saharensis can be "not [...] even a teleost" but further "A. saharaensis still stands as the earliest known occurrence of an armoured catfish"

The group Teleostei is of a higher level then catfish, and thus all catfish are teleosts
by Bas Pels
11 May 2024, 08:28
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Fossil catfish from Central India
Replies: 1
Views: 449

Re: Fossil catfish from Central India

I once read - don't know when or where - that the cichlids from India, and Madagascar are more closely related to south American cichlids than African ones. I thought that odd, but this article sais more or less the same for two other clades.

There's a lot we don't know yet
by Bas Pels
09 May 2024, 07:36
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Long term high temperatures harm Clarias fuscus
Replies: 1
Views: 425

Re: Long term high temperatures harm Clarias fuscus

The sudie studied stress coming from 8 degrees (centigrade) above normal. That is a lot of stress, and one wonders whether the expected heating will cause similar stress. Still, knowing heat stress causes a certain kind of damage - that is, not an other - will enable others finding evidence of heat ...
by Bas Pels
26 Apr 2024, 07:55
Forum: What is my catfish?
Topic: ID please? By catch with glass catfish
Replies: 8
Views: 1193

Re: ID please? By catch with glass catfish

mix ups do happen, and certainly secretive species are vulnerable for this.

A wholeseller does not waste much money on lights and therefore it is easy to think a tank is empty while it is not.
by Bas Pels
31 Mar 2024, 08:23
Forum: South American Catfishes (Callichthyidae - Corys et al)
Topic: Giant Gulper Cat
Replies: 1
Views: 678

Re: Giant Gulper Cat

Actually, you better give them whole fish, that contains more than just the proteins the filets contains. Especially the gut of the fish is very important, as there you will find the vitamins the victim ate before, vitamins which normaly are not fouond in meat. But also the skeleton - the gulper is ...
by Bas Pels
12 Mar 2024, 08:01
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Pterygoplichthys loose in the Scotland
Replies: 3
Views: 1519

Re: Pterygoplichthys loose in the Scotland

How couold they survive the winters? Finding a pleco in a lake in September does not tell me much, finding it in March would be a much larger problem
by Bas Pels
02 Mar 2024, 08:32
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Mixing albino corys and pigmented corys influences their movement behaviors
Replies: 5
Views: 1761

Re: Mixing albino corys and pigmented corys influences their movement behaviors

That could very well explain the albino behaviour.

But in that case, the whole study does not fit as an attempt to investigate the well being of albinos
by Bas Pels
29 Feb 2024, 07:58
Forum: South American Catfishes (Everything else)
Topic: Spotted/Striped Raphael Questions!
Replies: 8
Views: 2844

Re: Spotted/Striped Raphael Questions!

It is a long while, between 1997 and 1999, but I had 3 Platydoras combined with a lot of platyfish, all males. One day all the platys were gone. Eaten. 30 or more Platydoras can eat fish, but it can take a while before the realize it is possible. As they like to eat too much, the whole shoal can dis...
by Bas Pels
27 Feb 2024, 07:50
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Mixing albino corys and pigmented corys influences their movement behaviors
Replies: 5
Views: 1761

Re: Mixing albino corys and pigmented corys influences their movement behaviors

I think this is a very interesting, and important question, but looking at the results in the article, I get the idea the albinos are more active, the have less fear. Although that would reduce their lomnglivity in the wild - less fear means earlier cought by a predator, it also implies the well bei...
by Bas Pels
17 Feb 2024, 07:40
Forum: South American Catfishes (Everything else)
Topic: Temperate cool water Catfish
Replies: 3
Views: 1006

Re: Temperate cool water Catfish

I wonder whether the Megalechis thoracata would like this water. For the others it is OK.

Did you know Scleromystax barbatus likes current?
by Bas Pels
23 Jan 2024, 13:04
Forum: South American Catfishes (Loricariidae - Plecos et al)
Topic: Driftwood from Alabama River
Replies: 9
Views: 3025

Re: Driftwood from Alabama River

That would be a good incicator, but I would also look the wood pieces over after a few weeks. For dark, rotten pieces. However, as the wood is intended to be eaten, your fish will love these rotten pieces. After all, they live from the rotting bacteria.
by Bas Pels
22 Jan 2024, 07:42
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Augmenting commercial feed with live food enhances survival and grown of juvenile Trachelyopterus galeatus
Replies: 3
Views: 981

Re: Augmenting commercial feed with live food enhances survival and grown of juvenile Trachelyopterus galeatus

With regard to the ad libitum feeding - the commercial food must be dried, and that makes this kind of feeding hard to imagine. Mice can be supplied with pellets for a fortnight in one feeding without any harm, fish cannot. The pellet will dissolve, and spoil. Therefore I am afraid this ad ligbitium...
by Bas Pels
28 Nov 2023, 07:52
Forum: Asian Catfishes
Topic: About Cephalocassis borneensis
Replies: 7
Views: 9163

Re: About Cephalocassis borneensis

A rare opportunity to keep a fresh water Arid.

And if they look a bit similar to the well known species, they mus be beautiful. I'm a bit anvious
by Bas Pels
15 Nov 2023, 07:57
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Potassium permanganate and South Am. Species
Replies: 4
Views: 8517

Re: Potassium permanganate and South Am. Species

PP als Victor named the stuff, is a fierce oxydator. That is, it will cause certain harm to tissue, and this harm is intended to kill parasites and deseases, while the fish will survive this. Still, all fish are especially vulnerable in their gills. And in case one would use PP - please provide the ...
by Bas Pels
27 Oct 2023, 07:50
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Host specialization in parasitic cuckoo catfish
Replies: 2
Views: 4734

Re: Host specialization in parasitic cuckoo catfish

Would it be correct to assume from this lack of host specialism that this S multipunctatus is a young brood parasite? Perhaps too young yet to spezialize - that is, to divide into more species with each their own host?
by Bas Pels
07 Oct 2023, 08:05
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Tank age and leaks
Replies: 16
Views: 14696

Re: Tank age and leaks

Assuming the tanks are glued together with siliicone glue, please realize this was invented in 1970 or so, and the glue has seen a lot of improvements. The current glue lasts longer than the privious ones However, apart from old age, I wonder whether vibrations also hurt these tanks. I have repaire ...
by Bas Pels
05 Oct 2023, 07:39
Forum: South American Catfishes (Loricariidae - Plecos et al)
Topic: Pleco from Central America
Replies: 3
Views: 1672

Re: Pleco from Central America

As Jools indicated, there are no Lorricarids from your area, only a few species from Panama excist - and these are not available. You would have to go to Panama yourself to get them. Costa Rica has an export ban on all wild cought animals, so that would not help. The common Ancisturs would be your b...
by Bas Pels
04 Oct 2023, 07:52
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Just how important is pH and water softness?
Replies: 4
Views: 7529

Re: Just how important is pH and water softness?

Rain is the same everywhere - very soft and lightly acidic. If it falls on a swamp, or a rinforrest, it will not come into contact with minerals, and remain soft. It can get very acidic. If it falls on other places, it will contact minerals and harden rather rapidly. However this will take time. The...
by Bas Pels
25 Sep 2023, 15:40
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: Pleco suggestion for a small tank
Replies: 9
Views: 9467

Re: Pleco suggestion for a small tank

Frankly, I wonder whether otos are an option

These are best kept in a group, and personally I never saw 2 doing fine - and 2 is the maximum I would put in a 9 US gallon = 35 liter tank

Shrimps or snails, that's it. I do have quite a few good algae eating snails.
by Bas Pels
22 Sep 2023, 15:22
Forum: Taxonomy & Science News
Topic: Freshwater fishes of Uruguay
Replies: 1
Views: 1239

Re: Freshwater fishes of Uruguay

Thak you for this link. It's among the best presents I got this year
by Bas Pels
12 Sep 2023, 07:36
Forum: What is my catfish?
Topic: Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii?
Replies: 2
Views: 4029

Re: Pterygoplichthys ambrosettii?

The fish is rather small, which can make a determination more difficult.
by Bas Pels
01 Sep 2023, 07:34
Forum: South American Catfishes (Loricariidae - Plecos et al)
Topic: Panaqolus Maccus profile - hardness measurement
Replies: 8
Views: 2005

Re: Panaqolus Maccus profile - hardness measurement

Shane wrote that in most cases the dissolved matter has an electrically charge. That is right - but the most important exception is peat. In blackwater, the conductivitiy is low. 1 or 2 microsiemens per cm. But a lot of meat is dissolved, which does not reflect on the conductivity. As a TDS machine ...
by Bas Pels
24 Aug 2023, 07:28
Forum: What is my catfish?
Topic: Hemibagrus?
Replies: 7
Views: 4728

Re: Hemibagrus?

That's a good combination, I have had it myself.

They did get large, the biggest one was 40 cm, or 16 inches
by Bas Pels
15 Aug 2023, 14:58
Forum: What is my catfish?
Topic: Neoarius graeffei (?)
Replies: 13
Views: 5114

Re: Neoarius graeffei (?)

Why does it matter what size the literature says? There is not much difference to keeping a 60cm fish than an 80cm fish .. especially as you should keep these in groups Also many captive fish get much larger than wild caught. While I do agree that 60 or 80 cm does noet matter much- the fish is far ...
by Bas Pels
11 Aug 2023, 07:39
Forum: South American Catfishes (Everything else)
Topic: Platydoras armatulus: gill operculums folded
Replies: 9
Views: 5638

Re: Platydoras armatulus: gill operculums folded

I wonder whether a better tank will refold the operculums. Obviously, if this is the cause, putting them back will only be an option if the soil has been improoved

That can happen because you changed it, or by good plant growth. But that would require more than a year I'm afraid
by Bas Pels
11 Aug 2023, 07:36
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: New emergent plant experiments
Replies: 15
Views: 11161

Re: New emergent plant experiments

Basil will not work, the seeds are very sensitive towards to much water. I'm afraid the plants will not like too much either. My rosemary is also not found of too much water. Mint however does appreciate watrer a lot.
by Bas Pels
05 Aug 2023, 15:17
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: New emergent plant experiments
Replies: 15
Views: 11161

Re: New emergent plant experiments

I have an enclosable bveranda, with fishtanks. These are on the ground, so they mare more ponds one can also see from aside, together with air filtering over mats. Between these mats, my Papyrus sp grow just wonderfull. This species gets over 2 meters tall I also added once a Begonia (leaf type, not...
by Bas Pels
29 Jul 2023, 08:39
Forum: Tank Talk
Topic: In your experience, has artificial turf hurt your fish?
Replies: 5
Views: 7713

Re: In your experience, has artificial turf hurt your fish?

I never even heard about artificial turf, but as with all strange materials, I would need to look at the ingredients. You made a few good points about some of them, UV resistence is most often not a problem, weed resistence I would not trust either. The problem is, however, that the ingredients are ...

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