Trachelyopterus galeatus

[Marc van Arc]

Well I was going to set up a riverine tanks for Centromochlus perugiae and Trachelyopterus galeatus anyway ;) so this syno will share his home with galeatus

Hi,
The bold part in the above quote puzzles (and worries) me a little, but perhaps I misunderstand: are you going to set up two separate tanks for the Auchenipterids or just one?
If just one, you'll have a severe risk that the perugiaes will starve with that kind of food competitors (galeatus), even more so when you also add that (lovely) Syno to the same tank. Just a well meant observation.

[worton[pl]]

Hey,

two separate tanks. Smaller one (I think about common 112l) for group of 10 C. perugiae - I want to try breeding so it will be species tank and bigger (I was thinking about 240l: 120x50x40) one for 2 of galeatus. A friend of mine has spawned them and have two small (8 cm) specimens left .

Regards.

[Marc van Arc]

and bigger one for 2 of galeatus. A friend of mine has spawned them and have two small (8 cm) specimens left

That's a nice achievement. Any chance of a picture?

[worton[pl]]

Hey,

sure thing Marc .

Parents:

mother:



father:





last two babies I hope to have:



I have also his breeding report. Lots of eggs fungused and hatching rate was really, really bad. From tons of eggs only 20% were fertilized and from this group only 15% hatched. He got about 600 young galeatus from this spawn . Also eggs are in jelly-like sheet (sorry I don't know word for this) like amphibians eggs.

Oops! Photos by Piotr Robakowski ;).

Regards.

[Marc van Arc]

Well, if those are the parents you'll have

Trachelyopterus fisheri

instead of galeatus! How about that

[Marc van Arc]

Well Marc what can I say - you rock! Now I will have to set up even bigger tank hehehe . Thank you very much for an identification. I personally think fisheri looks even cooler than galeatus

I would like to react, but I'm spoiling the Syno-thread.
Mods/Mats, could the Auchenipterid part in this thread be separated? To do so I think only Worton's last reply has to be split up; the rest could go as a whole.
Thanks. And of course I hope Worton doesn't mind.

[Mod edit: As suggested, split out, Worton's comment in the last post quoted in this post, and moved to the South American "others" section. --Mats]

[Marc van Arc]

Hi Worton,
Thank you for these great pictures.
Like yourself, I too think that fisheri is nicer than galeatus and it's much more uncommon to say the least. I hope you will be able to obtain those last 2 specimens.
Could you do me one more favour? Could you check with the owner if his female has always looked that pale or that it is just a temporary change of colour?
Thanks in advance.

And thanks Mats for the splitting up.

[worton[pl]]

Hey,

I have a reply from Piotr.

Here it goes:
Female is always so bright. It looks like different species but it is the same. People when watch this fish think they are two separate species. Fish looked the same untill they start to mature - they changed drastically. Since that moment female is always so bright.

Well that's all. I read your article from CotM series and it looks like fully grown, mature female change her colors .

Regards.

[Marc van Arc]

Female is always so bright. It looks like different species but it is the same. People when watch this fish think they are two separate species. Fish looked the same untill they start to mature - they changed drastically. Since that moment female is always so bright.

Well that's all. I read your article from CotM series and it looks like fully grown, mature female change her colors .

Thanks, although I was hoping for another answer, namely that it was caused by the bright environment the fishes appear to be in. On the other hand your friends female fish looks exactly like the female pictured in the first breeding article of the species. Indeed, as you say, as if male and female are 2 different species. I don't doubt that my trio belongs to one species, for the shape is correct and I've also witnessed some mating attempts (while other female woodcats are left unbothered by the fisheri male), yet I wonder why the 2 girls remain mottled at 28 cms TL. Perhaps because my tank is pretty dark?
Anyway, I'll tell them they should turn grey at their age and length

[worton[pl]]

Hey,

hmm what is interesting your fish are big, really big. My friend fish are: female 18cm TL, male is smaller than 15cm TL. Coincidence?

[Marc van Arc]

hmm what is interesting your fish are big, really big. My friend fish are: female 18cm TL, male is smaller than 15cm TL. Coincidence?

Can't tell.... we'll just have to wait and see. I'll keep you posted in case anything happens.
Male is about 22 cms TL btw

[sidguppy]

I had a discussion with Marc on this fish the afternoon (dropped by since I was close) and perhaps this is because of local varieties?

this species, the fisheri, has a huge aera where it occurs in the wild

it would surprise me far more if there weren't any varieties than if there are.

fish can still be of the same species when size and coloration differ within it's natural distribution

I also think that there are many more species between the ears of ichthyologists and fishcollectors than there are in reality

in the past we used to say that "any offplaced scale on the head of an Aphyosemion created a new species"
I got a big hunch that exactly the same happened with Corydoras, Synodontis and many L numers to name a few.
animals are no carbon copies.
especially not if the natural distribution is an area larger than the whole of western Europe put together......there's bound to be variety.
cause that's what natural life it all about, creating variety.

[Marc van Arc]

I'll keep you posted in case anything happens.

I'd never thought I had to come back on the subject so soon and I can even imagine people doubting this message, but yesterday evening in the moonlight (after 11.20 PM) my faith in these fish (T. fisheri) being one species was completely reinstalled (I was beginning to get some doubts after Worton's reply).
First thing that surprised me was that the male showed up for he is not a regular at the front window. Second thing was that he tried to clasp one of his females (and not other woodcat females, which were quite abundant; they all seemed a bit frisky yesterday). Third that an actual mating took place. The female was hoovering horizontally in mid-water and the male came from below. One second you see two separate specimens, the next you see just one. It all goes so quickly. The clasp was perfect (no grunting this time) and looked like a still. No wriggling, nothing. They just hung there. After some 20 seconds they started to sink towards the bottom and in a split second they were separated again and disappeared into darker areas. What a brilliant sight.
Tonight I'll do a stake out with camera. They might do it again

[worton[pl]]

Hey,

well I think that sneak out of the tank yesterday night. Turn on your computer. Check the history and found this topic. They thought then - Marc is so cool - he feeds us, changes water and we are so happy. Let's do it!

Regards.

[Chrysichthys]

even more so when you also add that (lovely) Syno to the same tank

S. ornatipinnis are extremely greedy, and grow like crazy. Guaranteed, or your money back!

[worton[pl]]

Hey Marc,

been some time since mating occured.
Any kittens around?

[Marc van Arc]

been some time since mating occured. Any kittens around?

Nope. Guess there are too many scavengers around, so juvies don't stand a chance. Moreover, I have severe doubts that larger woodcats will leave each other's eggs alone for I never see any eggs - contrary to the Tatia tank where the eggs remain unharmed (until they hatch......).