Solar Catfish

YouTube · Post by **Jools** » 06 Jan 2003, 15:11

All~

See below. Got this email in to the site, it has Shane and I some what stumped although we did recommend the person spend some time in the cat-elog and register here.

My only suggestion at this stage is Horabagrus. Images may or may not be forth coming.

Any ideas?

Jools

> I have recently bought a fish that was called a "solar cat". The fish
> is black with red fins a white belly and behind each gill is a
> pattern that looks like a solar eclipes. I was told it was a very
> rare fish! I can not find any information anywhere about this fish.
> also he is about 6 inches long and very nocturnal. I have him in a 35
> gallon long tank with a 8" tiger oscar. any way I bought him in a pet
> store and the explaination of the fish was md solar cat $99.99. The
> store owner did not know any thing about this fish and he couldn't
> find a fact sheet or care guide about him. Is Solar Cat the real
> common name, do you know anything about this fish, is it really rare
> and did I get a good deal on this fish. ( I did not pay the above
> price he gave me 75% off just to get the fish out of his store, he
> had it for at least 8 mo) if you could please send me some info on my
> new addition. Thank you Craig Stark

Post by **Silurus** » 06 Jan 2003, 15:53

Jools,

<i>Horabagrus brachysoma</i>. These things are sold as sun cats here.

Heok Hee

Post by **Dinyar** » 06 Jan 2003, 19:53

Hee's right (as always). I had the same thought before I read his post.

Dinyar

Post by **Shane** » 06 Jan 2003, 21:07

Rereading Craig's description leads to believe you guys are correct. For some reason the $100 price tag threw me off the track. These things were less than $20 last time I was in the states. That said, there was a time that they and Mystus leucophasis were going for $750 each about 15 years ago. I'll e-mail Craig. Thanks guys.
-Shane

Post by **Dinyar** » 07 Jan 2003, 01:42

As you point out, not long ago H. brachysoma was quite expensive, but it is now one of the cheapest catfish of any kind available in NYC. Juveniles sell for $3 - 5 each. Perfect example of a once expensive fish which is now dirt cheap because of commercial breeding.

Only problem with this fish is that it grows fast and is extremely reclusive. I've kept a number of them, and the present one will be the last.

Post by **Shane** » 07 Jan 2003, 04:38

Craig checked the Cat-E-Log and confirmed that his fish is H. brachysoma. He then asked if the price ($100) was fair and that was an even harder question to answer.

kateswan · Post by **kateswan** » 26 Nov 2003, 21:28

Dinyar -

How large have the several you've kept grown to?
Did you keep more than one of them in a tank?

Kathy S