PlanetCatfish.com

I have a group of three L244.
After a long period in a community tank they are now in a dedicated breeding tank. Some sources suggested that they would enjoy high-protein foods such as worms. Amongst other foods, I tried feeding blackworms which are a great favourite with some of my other catfish.

L244s don't eat blackworms. Their tank has developed a huge population of blackworms in the substrate, as shown in the attached photo. I siphon the substrate on a weekly basis and my Corydoras love the result!

So, what should I be feeding my L244s? They occasionally munch courgette but without much enthusiasm. They do seem to like Repashy foods; I provide a varying cocktail of those.

Cheers,
Paul

Hey Paul, don't want to derail your thread, but I found some worms in one of my tanks and wondered what they were and whether they could be fed to fish.

Would you mind looking at them and tell me if this is what you are talking about? Seem to be mostly red/pink and live together in chunks/colonies on the bottom of the tank amongst the detritus.
Thanks, Johannes.

L-welse.com says L244 should be supplied with veggies.

Hi Johannes,

I think your worms are smaller than the blackworms. Blackworms are typically 20mm to 50mm long and about 0.5mm thick.
I'm sure Corydoras would love to eat your little worms though!

The 'Back to Nature Guide to L-Catfishes' by Ingo Seidel says that Pseudolithoxus "should be fed both vegetable and animal foods."

Planet Catfish says (for P.anthrax):
"Does well on commercial "algae" wafers but requires a meaty element to its diet (probably met by insect larvae in the wild). Newly imported specimens need such meaty food immediately to acclimatize properly."

Pleco Planet says:
"Diet: Omnivore with a preference for vegetable matter: suitable food items include vegetables (cucumber, zucchini, egg plant, peas, lettuce, preboiled spinach), algae wafers, spirulina tablets, mosquito larvae, blood worms, tubifex and krill.
Other than that, this fish often feeds on the organic matter that forms on submerged surfaces (plants, rocks, wood, aquarium walls; also known as Aufwuchs) by rasping it off with its suckermouth. It will also take food remains left behind by tank mates, as well as soft wood."

Elko Kinlechner, the only person known to have bred these, says in the COTM article:
"A look into the mouth of Pseudolithoxus dumus reveals that it is omnivorous, taking mainly vegetarian foods, however, it is not averse to carnivore food either. I feed mainly DuplaRin G. as well as other pleco-chips from JBL and Tetra for variety. Frozen food was barely taken, vegetables are rejected."

In my experience they occasionally nibble on courgette but it's rare. In fact I rarely see the fish at all, unless I disturb them in total darkness. Cubes of Repashy gel disappear, and I assume the fish get some of it though there are snails and worms in there too that probably eat some. The tank is a tangle of wood and caves of various materials, so there's plenty of grazing surface.

I've had them a few years now so they must be eating something! Ideally I'd like to condition them for breeding.

Cheers,
Paul

Hi Paul,

When you add worms to the tank, how do you do it? Do you put them in a bowl so they are trapped and can't escape into the sand/gravel?

I didn't used to use a bowl, but now I do and you know who goes for the worms with gusto? Panaqolus albivermis! If you aren't using a bowl, give it a try.

Cheers, Eric

Thanks Eric
I just chuck the worms in. In tanks with any fish that eat worms, they get quickly eaten. Occasionally I find out if there are no worm-eaters when a worm population becomes established, like in this case.
It's no great problem- I can use them as food for the other tanks.
I've found my Panaqolus like some meaty foods among their greens too.

Hi all,

Jobro wrote: 16 Jul 2017, 12:18 Hey Paul, don't want to derail your thread, but I found some worms in one of my tanks and wondered what they were and whether they could be fed to fish.

They may be Dero digitata (https://www.cflas.org/dero-microflex-wo ... sheet/4185).

cheers Darrel

dw1305 wrote: 16 Jul 2017, 21:47 Hi all,

Jobro wrote: 16 Jul 2017, 12:18 Hey Paul, don't want to derail your thread, but I found some worms in one of my tanks and wondered what they were and whether they could be fed to fish.

They may be Dero digitata (https://www.cflas.org/dero-microflex-wo ... sheet/4185).

cheers Darrel

Thanks Darrel, I guess you hit the nail right on it's head. Looks like these are my worms

Hi all,

Jobro wrote: 17 Jul 2017, 09:00Thanks Darrel, I guess you hit the nail right on it's head. Looks like these are my worms

I've been trying to get a culture in the UK, so far without any joy.

They are a native of European fresh water, so I may be able to find a wild source.

cheers Darrel

I think they pop up in rainwater barrels. That's the best explanation how I would have gotten them into my tanks

Pm me if you want to give shipping them a try.

Hi all,
Thanks @Jobro, I'm hoping I've found a source, if I haven't I'll PM you.

A few years ago we had a house-swap in the Allgäu. I visited Kempten and it looked a nice place to live.

cheers Darrel