Distinguishing striped Mystus species?

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » 17 Nov 2004, 16:57

I've noticed on the Cat-eLog and in Shane's article on Asian catfishes that there seem to be quite a few striped Mystus species. M. carcio, mystecitus, pulcher and vittatus all have lateral stripes between silver and gray/white with a shoulder spot. In addition isn't M. bleekeri similar as well?

How do I sort these guys out? I'm primarily curious so that I can label them properly in the store but I'm also considering filling a tank with bagrids and I don't want to have fish that grow to only 3" in the same tank as those that grow to more than a foot.

Thanks much

Post by **Silurus** » 17 Nov 2004, 16:59

All of the striped Mystus species don't grow very big. Certainly not more than 7" or so.

The primary differences are the size of the adipose fin, number of stripes and the shape of the head.

Mika · Post by **Mika** » 17 Nov 2004, 19:02

http://www.scotcat.com/articles/article65.htm

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » 18 Nov 2004, 15:18

Excellent Link! I'm not sure I'm smart enough to be able to figure it out though. So I have one in front of me in a specimen cup and will do my best to describe it.

This guy is three inches SL, maybe just under that. Its eyes are on the side of the head. It has four pair of barbels, two above the mouth and two below. The top pair is the shortest, about a half inch long. The lower pair above the mouth are quite long and reach all the way to the anal fin when pressed back. The outside lower pair are about an inch long and the inside lower pair perhaps 3/4 of an inch.

Color: The top and sides of the fish are an olive-gray. The belly is white. There are two stripes that are silver-white, one above the lateral line, one below. These extend from the swim bladder to the caudal peduncle. Between the gill opening and the swim bladder there is a small dark spot with a silver ring around it. The spot and ring is about half the size of the eye.

Fins: The dorsal fin has a spine and 7 soft, branched rays, and pectoral fins each have a spine and 8 soft, branched rays. The base of the adipose fin is about 3/4 the length of the base of the dorsal fin, but the adipose fin is very small and the fin rays are almost impossible to see. The anal fin is more than twice the size of the adipose fin. The fish won't sit still long enough for me to count other fin rays...

My technical terminology stinks, but any ideas?

Thanks again

Post by **Silurus** » 18 Nov 2004, 15:54

It sounds like you have , but I wouldn't rule out .

Any chance of a picture, or failing which, do you know where the fish came from?

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » 18 Nov 2004, 16:37

They came from a local aquarium fish wholesaler. unfortunately they've been through about 3 shippers so I'd probably have a lot of trouble finding out their original source.

Looking at the Cat-eLog photos of those two species though, it's almost certainly M. mystecitus. The adipose and anal fins' shape and relative size match much better than M. vittatus.

Thanks again for the help. These guys are really cool. Not good candidates for a tank with Horabagrus brachysoma I'm guessing! Probably have to do two catfish tanks! One with 3-6" fishes and one with larger fishes.

As you can tell, the convention has really peaked my interest in fishes that I never paid much attention to before.

Post by **Silurus** » 19 Nov 2004, 01:12

You should be able to keep M. mysticetus with H. brachysoma if you provide enough room and hiding places. I had some with a couple of H. nigricollaris and all was well.