New Pimelodidae

[Erwin]

A couple off weeks ago I could take a picture of a very small (3-4 cm) catfish, what was shipped from Peru. So far I only could get the ID to the family: Pimelodidae

Any ideas what it might be?



Thanks

Erwin

[Jools]

Baby <I>Aguarunichthys</i>? It does look more like a Heptapterid with the exception of that adipose fin. I just have a hunch that this fish will grow big - but that's pure guesswork. Wouldn't it be great if it did stay small.

Was it a single specimen?

Jools

[Silurus]

I think it's more likely a baby Zungaro.

[Erwin]

For a Heptapterid the fish got to few spines in the dorsal fin, I have seen two species of Aguarunichtys also as babys, and the are already dotted, and Zungaro is at present monotypic. Zungaro zungaro looks different.

Erwin

[Mika]

Have these guys grown since last time? This is very beatiful catfish. Can you estimate the wholesale price for these?

[Jools]

I saw a picture of a 2" Brachyplatystoma juruense recently and it was coloured almost exactly the same. All black with white fins and a curious edging to the body. This fish just doesn't look quite right though unless the shape dramatically changes as the fish doubles in size.

I share Mika's keen interest in what it looks like now.

Jools

[Erwin]

How does it looks today? Well, unfortunately had a friend of mine, who kept them, something like an earthquake (it might been only a heavy truck passing the street at his very old house, which is running just 2 meters behind the wall of his fishroom) with the result, that a complete system of tanks crashed into the one on the opposite side. Most of the fish he had could not even be stored in alcohol afterwards. Also these little pimelodids could not be found anymore in the mess of broken glass and aquarium sand. We need to wait for another import of these little guys to answer the inleading question. Sorry

Erwin