Bumblebee Jelly Catfish / Batrochoglanis raninus

Hubert · Post by **Hubert** » 18 Oct 2006, 16:49

Hey, I was wondering if anyone knows of some good websites about the bumblebee jelly catfish. The only sites I can find about it are the profile on this site and a few other small sites and I'd like to know more about it.

Kate

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 18 Oct 2006, 17:31

So you've looked at .

There seems to be a fair bit of information there (compared to some others in the Cat-eLog at least), what else did you want to know?

[Thanks for making me look at this page, I found that there's some missing tags for italics in the identification section...]

--
Mats

Post by **Marc van Arc** » 18 Oct 2006, 19:14

Kate,
What would you like to know about them? I may have answers if you have specific questions.

Hubert · Post by **Hubert** » 18 Oct 2006, 20:00

I didn't have any specific questions..I just wanted to read more detailed info about them from others who have had them.

Here's a few though.. What can I feed them? I've been feeding my little guy (1-1.5") Betta pellets and Danios.

Is there a way I can tell the sex of him/her?

What kind of tank set-up (substrate, ornaments...) should I have for him?

Right now he's in a 5.5 gallon tank, but I plan to upgrade as he gets bigger. I've had him about 3 months now and he's almost doubled in size, so I'm planning on getting him in a 20g or 20g long soon. What fish would be compatible with him (IE. are big enough that he wouldn't eat)?

Here's a pic if you're interested: http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l205/ ... tic/hu.jpg
PS - Those rocks have previously been taken out and he is in a bare tank.

grokefish · Post by **grokefish** » 18 Oct 2006, 20:25

Fabulous fishy, there is another thread on these 'little assasins of the comunity tank', I believe that was how they were described. See if you can find it.

Post by **Marc van Arc** » 19 Oct 2006, 11:18

Hubert wrote: What can I feed them? I've been feeding my little guy (1-1.5") Betta pellets and Danios.

These fish will eat anything. Flakes, pellets, frozen foods, live foods, you name it. The fact that it has doubled in size confirms there's nothing wrong with your food.

Hubert wrote: Is there a way I can tell the sex of him/her?

Not that I know of. Probably the best way in mature specimen is to look from above. Males should be more slender and a little smaller than females.

Hubert wrote: What kind of tank set-up (substrate, ornaments...) should I have for him? He is in a bare tank.

(*Edited quote*)
These fish need hiding spots. Anything will do: pieces of wood, plants, the lot. Keeping them in a bare tank is not recommended. You'll see it more often, but once gotten used to a natural environment (and it will hide and be invisible for a while) it'll show up when being fed.

Hubert wrote: What fish would be compatible with him (IE. are big enough that he wouldn't eat)?

Depends on what you like, but see to it that these fishes are high-built. Slender fish, like Danios and many Tetras will become snacks

Hope this helps you out a little.

cwindram · Post by **cwindram** » 18 Nov 2006, 22:33

You can check out a couple of posts I made about this species some time ago:

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... highlight=

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... highlight=

I had this fish for a while, then took him back to the store. I now wish I had made a species tank for him - truly a beautiful and fascinating fish.

C Windram

cwindram · Post by **cwindram** » 19 Nov 2006, 13:51

When I first saw this fish in the LFS, he was backed tail-first into a large snail shell - a very small amount of his head showing - pretty cool behavior, so ditto the advise on hiding places. In my limited experience, this fish likes to dig, so give it something to dig under.

I had made the one that I had a "hollow log" by drilling out a bit of driftwood, but to my amusement, the fish simply dug his own pit under the log and ignored my handiwork.

C Windram

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 19 Nov 2006, 16:05

These fishes are also quite docile.

it doesn't look docile; but it is. despite it's huge appetite and big mouth it's really a bit of a pussy. only speciesmembers might push and shove a wee bit for a favourite cave, but that's about it.

this is important to know if you have territorial fishes in that tank! cichlids or territorial catfishes can and do give the placid Batrachoglanis a hard time....I once had 3 halfgrown Batrachoglanis and 1 smaller synodontis schall (a very nasty riverine Syno) kicked their poor butts all over the tank.....they also were no match for any mediumsized cichlid in the tank.

so take care when combining them with fishes big enough not to be eaten: don't add nasty agressors.