Catfish in Chengdu, China

For those out there encountering catfishes in the wild, post your experiences here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

I'm on vacation with my family in Chengdu, China... hometown of my inlaws. I've been keeping an eye out for fish and aquariums. Yesterday, we ate at a restaurant that was selling a few different whiskered species. Check 'em and, if anyone is up to it, ID the ones I don't know. Cheers!

Image


Image


Some sort of Bagridae?
Image


Channel cats (Ictalurus punctatus), I presume.
Image


The following picture didn't come out very well, but they are catfish. TL ~4". Image


Loaches.
Image


Some sort of carp.
Image


Some type of minnow?
Image


Sailfin suckers (Myxocyprinus asiaticus) and the saddest cichlid (probably Cichlasoma octofasciatum or whatever the current nomenclature is) I've seen in some time--probably didn't enjoy the cool water at all.
Image

Here's a shot of the sturgeon, catfish, and suckers in the basin. They were all ~14-18" TL. There were also some carp-like fish in there that were too smart and fast to let me get a good image.
Image
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12370
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 884
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 419
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Silurus »

Scleropages wrote: Some sort of Bagridae?
Image
Those look like .
Scleropages wrote: Image
I believe those are . Didn't figure they'd be food fish.
Image
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12370
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 884
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 419
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Silurus »

Scleropages wrote: Image
I think these might be Triplophysa siluroides.
Scleropages wrote: Image
Sinibrama taeniatus
Image
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

Thanks, Silurus. I think this place might be both a restaurant and LFS. I'm not sure all the fish were for eating, but then again, my western palate views food sources differently than the Chengdu-nese as evidenced by what my inlaws put in their hot-pot for dinner (at a different, upscale restaurant near downtown)...
Image
Sus scrofa domesticus cerebra
Last edited by Scleropages on 04 Oct 2012, 00:37, edited 3 times in total.
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12370
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 884
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 419
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Silurus »

Oh, it's a restaurant all right. I just didn't think that amblyciptids would be caught for food. But that doesn't really surprise me.

In Asia, the general rule is: if it moves and consists of protein, eat it.
Image
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

These images are from Huang Long Xi... a village about an hour drive southeast of Chengdu that has a "river" running down the center with shops lining both sides.

Image

Image

Image


Channa asiatica
Image


Monopterus albus
Image


The catfish in the tank are the same as in the first picture in this thread. The catfish in the basin were around 12" TL and are a blue-grey color.
Image


Mmmmmmm...
Image
Image
Last edited by Scleropages on 04 Oct 2012, 15:25, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

This was in a banquet room at a nice hotel in downtown Chengdu. I almost threw up in my mouth a little when I saw what fish were in this beautiful setup, complete with two built-in overflow boxes (one on each side of the tank) and a digital water parameter display...

Image

How about some Uaru amphiacanthoides and Uaru fernandezyepezi, some clown loaches, and some (can't leave out catfish!)? I'd also like a a nice red Scleropages formosus in there, but I don't think that tank is big enough to hold one long term. That's what I would have stocked the tank with, if money is no option.
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12370
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 884
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 419
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Silurus »

Scleropages wrote: Channa striata
Image
That's C. asiatica. The one that has FWS and DNRs all in a tizzy.
Image
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

Thanks for the correction. Fixed.
Viktor Jarikov
Posts: 5263
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 20:11
My images: 11
My cats species list: 25 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 4
Location 1: Naples, FL
Location 2: USA

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Viktor Jarikov »

What an enjoyable read. Thanks, Scleropages. Also good to see you keep good company to your inlaws.

What are the red fish in blue tank that turned you off so much?
Silurus wrote:That's C. asiatica. The one that has FWS and DNRs all in a tizzy.
What's 1. FWS, 2. DNR, and 3. a tizzy?
Thebiggerthebetter
fish-story.com
User avatar
Jools
Expert
Posts: 15978
Joined: 30 Dec 2002, 15:25
My articles: 197
My images: 944
My catfish: 238
My cats species list: 87 (i:13, k:1)
My BLogs: 7 (i:7, p:202)
My Wishlist: 23
Spotted: 447
Location 1: Middle Earth,
Location 2: Scotland
Interests: All things aquatic, Sci-Fi, photography and travel. Oh, and beer.
Contact:

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Jools »

Tizzy, at least where I'm from, and used in this context would mean in a frantic state.

Jools
User avatar
Suckermouth
Posts: 1609
Joined: 28 Nov 2003, 14:29
My images: 17
My cats species list: 22 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 2 (i:0)
My BLogs: 6 (i:0, p:237)
Spotted: 14
Location 1: USA
Location 2: Washington, DC

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Suckermouth »

Viktor Jarikov wrote:What's 1. FWS, 2. DNR, and 3. a tizzy?
1. Fish & Wildlife Service
2. Department of Natural Resources
- Milton Tan
Research Scientist @ Illinois Natural History Survey
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

Viktor, the reddish fish are "parrot cichlids"--artificially manufactured fish. As such, they cannot produce offspring. When I used to professionally do aquarium maintenence, they were a big hit with my Asian clientelle (along with "flowerhorn cichlids"). Personally, I don't get why one would raise a fish that will eventually lay non-viable eggs and guard them ferociously, many times to the detriment of their tankmates (as I have observed numerous times with these fish). If I have to put up with large south/central American cichlid breeding/guarding behavior in one of my tanks, I'd want to have the opportunity to harvest/raise the fry. But, that's just my opinion.
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

From the Ren Ren Le supermarket we visited yesterday...

Keep your panties on, FWS & DNR!
Image


Pretty sure these are . I wanted to find whoever was maintaining these tanks and yell at him/her. Way too many floaters in this one.
Image


My new favorite brand of rice (heheheh!)...
Image
Viktor Jarikov
Posts: 5263
Joined: 26 Jan 2010, 20:11
My images: 11
My cats species list: 25 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 4
Location 1: Naples, FL
Location 2: USA

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Viktor Jarikov »

I thought they were parrots but some of them striked me as not-really-parrot-looking. To me, they are as desirable as certain awfully disfigured, barely-swimming goldfish produced for the "consumer's pleasure".
Thebiggerthebetter
fish-story.com
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

After the Ren Ren Le grocery, we visited Chengdu's public aquarium...
Image


That would be me...
Image


I'm happy to report that, in addition to the sharks, dolphins, stingrays, volitans lionfish, moray eels, sea turtles, and other fauna that you would expect in a large public aquarium, they had some catfish...

There were about twelve in this tank, none smaller than 24" TL. That is a Gymnarchus niloticus in the background. I tried my best to get a good shot of it, but my point-n-click camera wasn't up to the task.
Image


My daughter was very impressed with the . When she gets a little older, I can just hear her now: "I don't want a puppy, daddy. I want a RTC!"
Image


They also had an Arapaima gigas (~42" TL) in the same tank for good measure.
Image


Different tank here... I always like checking out Osphronemus goramy as I rarely see them in the trade in the US. You can see a little or similar pleco here. Too bad they didn't have any giant panaque.
Image


This one was the most popular fish in the gourami tank with the Chinese visitors. I guess blondes really do have more fun...
Image
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12370
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 884
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 419
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Silurus »

Did you try visiting a market just to see what fishes are available? I've always found markets to be the best source of unusual species (although this is less likely in a large city like Chengdu).
Image
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

Two places I've requested we visit:
1. A fish market
2. A good LFS

I'm not sure we'll make it to either this time around. Our schedule is constantly squeezed by the protracted meals they like to have here.
Stackdeck
Posts: 145
Joined: 01 Dec 2010, 14:32
My images: 34
My cats species list: 7 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 15
Location 2: Singapore

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Stackdeck »

Great series of pics, thanks for sharing.

IMO, the snakeheads don't quite look like asiatica...
User avatar
Silurus
Posts: 12370
Joined: 31 Dec 2002, 11:35
I've donated: $12.00!
My articles: 55
My images: 884
My catfish: 1
My cats species list: 90 (i:0, k:0)
Spotted: 419
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Moderator Emeritus

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Silurus »

Stackdeck wrote: IMO, the snakeheads don't quite look like asiatica...
Channa argus, then.
Image
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

As I don't have much experience with snakeheads, I will defer to the Singapore fish-heads.
User avatar
Scleropages
Posts: 451
Joined: 30 Jan 2010, 18:26
My cats species list: 6 (i:0, k:0)
My aquaria list: 3 (i:0)
Location 2: New Jersey

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by Scleropages »

I recently visited Chengdu with my family again. This time, I did some research to find out where the good aquarium shops are. It led me to visit the pet market on Xinkai Street just south of Tianfu Square. The amount of fish shops on that street is overwhelming. I've never seen anything like it before. It felt kind of like when I was in my teens and visited one of the bigger importer/wholesalers in my area for the first time in 1990--when the U.S. economy was strong and every tank they had was fully stocked. It was so great to see--especially as my favorite fish (Scleropages formosus) was in abundance at many of the shops. I tried to take pics of all of the catfish I saw. Not sure about all of the species names, so if you want to chime in with IDs, it would be appreciated.

If you're ever in Chengdu, this is where you need to go (especially if you like Silver and Asian arowanas, koi, goldfish, and parrot cichlids--which seemed to be the most plentiful species)...
Image

Tiger shovelnose (Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum), RTC (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus)
Image

They were moving so fast, this was the best I could do...
Image

Paroon sharks - Pangasius sanitwongsei
Image

Tigrinis shovelnose - Brachyplatystoma tigrinum
Image

L-number?
Image

L-number?
Image

Interesting mix: C. frontosa & some form of Royal Panaque (L-190 perhaps?)
Image

Soribum lima
Image

Oxydoras niger?
Image

Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps (and Distochodus sexfasciatus)
Image

Synodontis eupterus
Image

Some sort of Clarias sp. I presume
Image

Hybrids, I assume
Image

And, lastly, while it's not a catfish, if I had my druthers, I would have taken this ~8" TL beauty home with me:
Image

Gan bei!
User avatar
amiidae
Posts: 597
Joined: 25 Nov 2004, 13:19
My images: 548
My cats species list: 82 (i:0, k:2)
Spotted: 178
Location 1: Singapore
Location 2: Singapore
Contact:

Re: Catfish in Chengdu, China

Post by amiidae »

Thanks for the photos.
I find that those fishes in the restaurant or market are more interesting than those in their LFS. LOL !

and yes... Gan Bei ! :)
PREDATORY FISH KEEPERS FB GROUP --> https://www.facebook.com/groups/166535030633179/
Post Reply

Return to “Travellers note book”