behaviour of pseudomystus siamensis

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Nikita
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behaviour of pseudomystus siamensis

Post by Nikita »

for a couple of years, I've had a female p. siamensis. she comes out during the day now, so I get to see ehr a lot - and she is purty! very large, about 7-8" now. She was one of my first catfish. but i digress.

today, i went into a pet store to buy fish food, and I spotted another one, about 6", trying desparately to hide behind an uplift pipe. I bought him straight away (have a passion for bumblebees, couldn't help it!) and took him home.

i'm aware that this species is supposed to scrap if strapped for spae; i have a 48" x 12" x 18"H tank, with various caves to hdie in, but also a few other big cats (about 4 big ones, and maybe a dozen little ones), so I was half expecting a few problems.

I let him out of the bag and he immediately disappeared; the female had a sniff and retreated back in her hidey-hole. so i left him to settle in.

jsut now, i've gone back in to check on them - about 3 hours after coming home - and I find them both at the front of the tank side by side, swimming oh-so-slowly together.

has anyone ever noticed this with these cats before? I have some pics if it helps, not too good though (fron tof the tank needs a clean!). having never had two (heck, he's only the second one i've ever actually seen), i don't know whether to assume it's joy and happiness, or that they're sizing each other up! they did both go back in the same hidey hole though - hers - and ousted my biggest cat at the same time, poor guy!
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Silurus
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Post by Silurus »

Are they still together? I've seen P. siamensis do OK with each other in terribly crowded conditions, so it would seem that fighting does not always occur.
Besides, I would think that male-male interactions would be more aggressive than male-female interactions.
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Nikita
Posts: 6
Joined: 02 May 2004, 19:58
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Post by Nikita »

unfortunately not, Elf decided that the cave was only big enough for him and the other ousted cat! but they are still getting on otherwise.

one thing I have learned is that above everything else in there, the upside-down flower bulb pot is the cave to be in if you're a catfish! so, shopping begins :)
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