Please help me identify this catfish

JConnon · Post by **JConnon** » 22 Jan 2003, 15:45

This was sold to me as a Bambi Catfish. I would like to if this is the right name and more about them if possible.
Thanks

http://www.geocities.com/jeffconnon/catfish.html

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Jan 2003, 15:53

That's either one of the larger Microglanis or a smaller Pseudopimelodus species, commonly known as a South American bumblebee cat. Either way, they are OK for the community tank. Doesn't get very big, but very, very greedy. They are also somewhat shy and retiring, but will come out to gorge themselves during feeding time.

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 22 Jan 2003, 15:54

Really hard to tell. It looks like it might be some kind of banjo catfish. But im not sure because of the angle of the pics. Try getting a pic of him from the side. Might be a chaca chaca only im pretty sure they dont have the white on them. Try posting some pics of side views of him in the tank. If its a banjo it will be really inactive.and will burry in your substrate if its fine enough. Well Good luck.

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Jan 2003, 15:57

Zack,

Banjo cats and Chacas are brown and don't have yellow bands. This one's an SA bumblebee (which will hide, but not bury into the substrate).
BTW, got your banjos yet?

Zack · Post by **Zack** » 22 Jan 2003, 16:00

The head looks too broad to be a bumblebee to me. Also the color looks off. It seems to me like i remember thembeing more orange than brown/black or atleast equal parts. This one only have one tripe and its white not orange. Really hard to tell though. Why do you try looking in the catelog at banjo cats and south american cats and see wich one it looks like. Good Luck. Either way it will still be a great community fish although banjos are really really inactive.

Mika · Post by **Mika** » 22 Jan 2003, 16:08

This is the why scientific names should be used with every fish.Bambi catfish - never heard that name.That could be some Bunocephalu spp.- banjo catfish.Or Leiocassis spp.?

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Jan 2003, 16:09

The head looks broad because it's a young fish (which generally tend to have bigger heads than adults..the heads just don't grow as fast as the rest of the body).
Color pattern is somewhat variable (the pale markings ranges from light brown to almost white) for bumblebee cats, so it's not really useful for identification in this case.

JConnon · Post by **JConnon** » 22 Jan 2003, 16:28

The colors are white and black if that helps at all.

Post by **Silurus** » 22 Jan 2003, 16:30

I think you will find the white becoming more of a yellow once it gets acclimated to tank conditions. In these guys, the pale stripes become whitish due to stress.

JConnon · Post by **JConnon** » 22 Jan 2003, 16:55

I had pulled him out of the tank by accident to get at the Chinese Algae Eater that was beginning to become a problem. So I am sure that he was stressed.
Actually as I look at the one in my sons tank, who hasnt been disturbed since he was put in there a couple of months ago, i notice that the stripes on the fins and tail are actually not white but transparent.

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 23 Jan 2003, 10:46

I go with Heok, it's a young Pseudopimelodus. I've kep them in the past.

Post by **Dinyar** » 23 Jan 2003, 16:05

Yes, it's a S. American "bumblebee cat". There are a couple of different species that are sold under the name. Some have broader heads thaan others.

Dinyar

catfish_cz · Post by **catfish_cz** » 23 Jan 2003, 23:23

May be catfish from Akysidae (Acrochordonichthys or Akysis ?).

- Akysis hendricksoni

- your catfish

- shape of the body of my Microglanis (adult). I think that your catfish is not Microglanis.

http://www.catfish.cz/clanky/microgl/micr_iher.htm

How is the skin of your catfish ?

Dave Rinaldo · Post by **Dave Rinaldo** » 23 Jan 2003, 23:51

Hi!

I have to post here. If you ignore Silurus and Dinyar, then you must be looking for an answer that you want.

Dave

Post by **Silurus** » 23 Jan 2003, 23:54

Definitely not an akysid. First of all, I have yet to see akysids in the aquarium trade except as one-off imports (all of the Akysis and Acrochordonichthys I have ever kept were caught by myself and I have never encountered an akysid in a LFS in my travels on three continents).
BTW that photo of A. hendricksoni was probably one of those caught from Peninsular Malaysia that I subsequently kept.
I am more inclined to think its a young Pseudopimelodus than Microglanis now.
PS. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dave.

catfish_cz · Post by **catfish_cz** » 24 Jan 2003, 06:53

I find some photo (from Burkard Kahl) - juvenile Pseudopimelodus sp. (cf. raninus).

I agree, it is a young Pseudopimelodus.

JConnon · Post by **JConnon** » 25 Jan 2003, 14:04

As far as I can tell from what you guys have shown me the South American Bumblebee Cat is the closest match. The tail is slightly different and the coloring is more white and translucent instead of yellow. But if it is just young maybe I will see these changes shortly.
Thanks for the help, I am very new to this and intend to spend so time here to learn more.

catfish_cz, can you give me a link to the pic of the juvinile ?
Thanks

catfish_cz · Post by **catfish_cz** » 26 Jan 2003, 17:51

Czech version of Germany book:
Wally Kahl, Burkard Kahl, Dieter Vogt: "Aquarien-Fische"

Wally Kahl, Burkard Kahl, Dieter Vogt - Velký obrazový atlas - Akvarijní ryby, Václav Svojtka & Co., 1999 - page numbers 128 - 129
http://www.catfish.cz/ruzne/liter/zluta.jpg

(If you want to see the picture, give me your e-mail.)

JConnon · Post by **JConnon** » 27 Jan 2003, 04:31

If its not to much trouble I would like to see the picture, heres my email

[email protected]

The.Dark.One · Post by **The.Dark.One** » 10 Feb 2003, 19:10

IMO it is a juvenile Pseudompimelodus raninus. You may find this fish recently listed (including on Planet Catfish) as Batrochoglanis raninus due to some impending changes by Oscar Shibatta. I personally have doubts about the use of this name but that is another (long) story.

They reach between 10cm and 15cm plus tail.

Steve