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We decided to order a Bumblebee Catfish (Microglanis iheringi) and we just got a call from the LFS and they should be arriving next week.

We've looked around a few places and there is some good information, but we have a few questions about our specific setup.

1. We have salt in our aquarium (1tsp/gal), will this be safe for him? We can dilute the salt with our weekly water changes, so it's not a problem, but we'd like to know so we can start the water changes.

2. What type of diet? Specifically for the quarantine, but also longer term. We have access to Nutrafin and Hikari at the LFS. In his final home there are loads of snails for him to much on and out platties should be producing babies he can stalk, but we will probably supplement him too. Any suggestions? I was thinking little bits of beef heart and/or earthworms.

3. Anything else we should watch out for? We know that it's a scaleless fish, so treating certain things will be more difficult. But anything else?

Thanks all.

1. As little salt as possible. I do not know the exact salt tolerance of this species, but it is very low.

2. They are not fussy eaters. Most foods should do fine (as will platy fry). They won't touch snails, though, and I'd steer clear of beefheart.

Thanks for the information. We just came back from the local fish store and our fish have arrived. We should pick them up early next week.

Any recommendations as to fresh foods? We'd like to vary the diet and feed him something other than prepared pellets.

Hi

and BTW Welcome to Planet Catfish

Maybe you would find this article in the CotM from October 2000 helpful?
microglanis iheringi

Thanks, I'd seen the article as well as the Cat-elog entry, both of which were quite useful.

I was just wondering about the experiences of other who have had this species or something related, specifically what they feed them or what I should look for in a good artificial diet.

The only experience I have with catfish were a couple of brown bullheads, not exactly the same thing as bumblebees.

They will eat anything fresh or frozen that a pet store would sell. They are as easy to feed as bullheads (so at least they have something in common).

I'm far from an expert on Catfish of any kind but I've had three of these little guys in my 75gal South American community tank for going on two years now. They rarely come out and then it's only far enough to snap up whatever caught their interest. They'll eat flakes, bloodworms, pellets-both sinking and floating, small pieces of shrimp, basically anything I throw in there. They're not picky eaters at all. And will gorge themselves until they look like three little gold and brown striped marbles with fins. It seems the more hiding places and the dimmer the tank the more they're visible. And I do catch them out cruising around when the lights are off.

Well, we picked him up today and all seems fine. He spent some time swimming all around the tank at first, but has since calmed down.

I ended up buying some shrimp pellets as well as another type of sinking pellet. They're marketed for catfish, but more corys and plecos. Are they still good for a Microglanis?

Thanks for the replies.

katt66 gave you good advice as per feeding your new bumblebees and as stated in that post they live for years on those foods. All the more I would add is treat them to live blackworms and other live foods when possible but that is not a necessity.