The growth you get out of these guys always astounds me. It can't be far from what you'd expect to find in their natural habitat. What is your water change schedule and feeding regime?
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 09 Mar 2015, 14:07
by ElTofi
Waterchange is a big topic at home... 100% weekly which allows me To spare monney on filtering. Water is much less expensive than electricity.
Considering feeding : they get 3-4 cucumbers weekly and a big full hand of Sturgeon pellets daily. Plus the "meaty" stuff Cichla, stingrays and arowanas let fall on the Bottom. And lots of wood of course
I'm starting a dry season stimulation today as I think my Fish could be mature enough to try something
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 09 Mar 2015, 14:12
by ElTofi
For ID of them I have doubts... Mainly because 2 of them stay smaller and have a very différent coloration and pattern. Even if they look quite similar for the bodyshape
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 09 Mar 2015, 16:20
by matthewfaulkner
For filtration are you still using the big box 'pond' type filter?
Do you have any pictures of the different ones? I recently saw a bunch of about 20 juveniles (4-8cm) and there was quite a lot of variation amongst them. Most were patternless with a dull grey body colour, but some individuals showed creamy/grey base colour and pattern throughout the body extending in to the fins. The only larger ones I've seen were about 25cm and mostly patternless.
Juvenile P. schaeferi - dull individuals
Juvenile P. schaeferi - bright individual
Sub adult P. schaeferi
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 09 Mar 2015, 16:49
by ElTofi
I'm still using the "gravity pond box" (Oase BioSmart Set 14000) in complement to a bigger pool sand filter (12m3/h with 90 kg sand). Quite good if coupled with the massive water changes... my problem is the fact that every single fish in this tank is a big (to giant) predator or a big messy-trouble-shit maker...
unfortunately, I don't have any picture of the 3 other Panaque schaeferi... I'm still trying to shoot with the GoPro3... I'll keep in touch about this.
the 2 smaller "P. schaeferi" are more or less like the one you show on your last picture. When they arrived home, they were much like the ones on your first picture, particularly considering the caudal fin.
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 11 May 2015, 16:59
by ElTofi
hi you all,
a few vids... with Cichla kelberi, Arowanas and Astronotus occelatus
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 11 May 2015, 16:59
by ElTofi
another one... with Panaque schaeferi & L191
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 11 May 2015, 17:01
by ElTofi
last one... feeding Cichla, and a close-up of L191 and close up of Stingrays
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 15 May 2015, 20:22
by ElTofi
interesting video of an Astronotus, guarding... but guarding what ???
enjoy !
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 09:32
by ElTofi
just for fun :
feeding the Arowanas & Cichlas :
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 09:35
by ElTofi
we all live in a yellow submarine…
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 27 Oct 2015, 10:38
by rob rensen
Great movies ! The cihclas are great.....very nice
Probaly the astronautus guarding fry ??
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 03 Nov 2015, 08:03
by ElTofi
Back from the 4. L-Number Days in Hannover, I discovered my fish being quite hungry and agressive towards eachother... Take a look at the first feeding for 4 days...
Agreed, nothing to do with catfish... but awesome all the same...
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 03 Nov 2015, 15:18
by rob rensen
The cichlas are really hungry...
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 03 Jun 2016, 07:21
by ElTofi
an update of the Big One…
with a fascinating close up sequence of Panaque schaeferi "scrunching" a cucumber.
and a few others…
enjoy !
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 03 Jun 2016, 08:42
by Jools
Nice!
Jools
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 03 Jun 2016, 10:14
by rob rensen
The panaque seems to be a big guy....45 cm ???
Nice footage
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 03 Jun 2016, 13:14
by Jobro
The screwdriver drives me nuts Nice Tank/Pond!
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 03 Jun 2016, 13:55
by ElTofi
rob rensen wrote:The panaque seems to be a big guy....45 cm ???
Nice footage
Yep ! Almost 5 years old and >45 cm TL
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 03 Jun 2016, 18:21
by ElTofi
Jobro wrote:The screwdriver drives me nuts Nice Tank/Pond!
sometimes, you just need a weight to drop down this F.... cucumber
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 30 Dec 2016, 18:10
by ElTofi
quite a long time...
a quick shot of Panaque schaeferi
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 22 Jan 2017, 14:08
by Phreeflow
Wow...amazing tank. Thx for sharing. Please post more
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 22 Jan 2017, 21:22
by Jobro
ElTofi wrote:quite a long time...
a quick shot of Panaque schaeferi
These are livebearers, right? Uhm I mean livefood xD
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 15 Dec 2017, 09:32
by ElTofi
a short vid which was sleeping on my smartphone...
out of Catfish scope, but...
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 15 Dec 2017, 13:18
by unblinded
Very cool. Thanks so much for the update. I'm sure I'm not alone in saying we all enjoy seeing the updates and see how your tank and fish are doing after all these years. I've followed this thread since the beginning and it's nice to see it's still going strong.
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 15 Dec 2017, 14:09
by ElTofi
shame on me... I've just realized I didn't feed the topic here properly, even with (quite) stunning vids on Panaques shot during these last months...
my fault...
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank
Posted: 15 Dec 2017, 14:10
by ElTofi
undate in population in 2017 :
Re: building a "big" Potamotrygon/SA Catfishes tank