What is this?

74ray · Post by **74ray** » 14 Nov 2003, 03:42

I'm thinking about getting some of these, can anyone tell me what exactly they are? The only info I have is they came from the caverns and the person that gets them is in Thailand.

cavernfish 1

Cavernfish 2

Post by **Silurus** » 14 Nov 2003, 09:16

Pangasius, and if it really comes from a cave (with it being somewhat unpigmented and anophthalmic (eyeless), that is very likely the case), an undescribed one at that.

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 14 Nov 2003, 13:37

It seems to me the lifestyle of Pangasius (or at least the few species I am familiar with) doesn't match up with living in a restricted cave environment. Even very large cave / water systems. I also wonder about water temperature too.

Do you have any more information about this fish at all? What did it cost? Where did you buy it?

Jools

Post by **Silurus** » 14 Nov 2003, 13:58

It seems to me the lifestyle of Pangasius (or at least the few species I am familiar with) doesn't match up with living in a restricted cave environment.

Yeah, you're right. Upon further consultation, I was told that this is an aberrant Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (it seems that depigmentation and anophthalmisim are fairly common defects in this species and P. gigas). The dealer probably said it was a cave fish to get a better price.

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 14 Nov 2003, 14:14

Jools wrote:It seems to me the lifestyle of Pangasius (or at least the few species I am familiar with) doesn't match up with living in a restricted cave environment. Even very large cave / water systems. I also wonder about water temperature too.

My thoughts exactly. Of all the Catfish, Pangasiids have to be amongst those least likely to evolve towards a hypogean mode of life. Given the frequency with which these things are farm bred, the chances of mutations appearing and being spotted is that much greater.