|
|
|
CATFISH
SILURIDAE FAMILY
The Siluridae or Old-world Catfish Family is found in Southeast Asia and is represented in aquaria, by the genera Kryptopterus and Ompok. Estimates from 60 to
100 species have been made.
Glass catfish, Ghost catfish [Pictures]
Kryptopterus bicirrhis
SYN: Cryptopterichthys bicirrhis, Kryptopterus minor, Silurus bicirrhis
PD: Its body is elongated and laterally compressed. This species is scaleless and lacks body pigment, thus making the body transparent. The internal organs and
backbone are clearly visible. Depending on the angle of light, the body can have a iridescent rainbow color. A long pair of barbels are located on the upper jaw.
The dorsal fin is very small, consisting of only one ray, while the caudal fin is forked.
SIZE: To 6" (15 cm) in nature, although not usually larger than 4.7" (12 cm) in aquaria.
SS: Kryptopterus, Ompok
HAB: Southeast Asia; slow-moving, rivers with heavy vegetation in Borneo, Java, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Sumatra, Malaysia
S: Middle
TANK: 20" (60 cm) or 10 gallons (38 L) is adequate for young fish under 2" (5 cm). Adults should be kept in larger tanks. The tank should have a moderate to
strong current and be well-planted. A cover of floating plants is recommended to dim the light.
WATER: pH 6.5-7.5 (7.0), 4-15 dH (8), 73-82¡F (23-28¡C)
SB: A peaceful community fish that should be kept in a shoal of at least four fish. Single fish do poorly. A diurnal catfish. Do not combine with large, aggressive
species.
SC: Tetras, Gouramis, barbs, danios, Corydoras, Loricarids, Loaches, Hatchetfish, Platies, Kribensis, Red-tailed Shark.
FOOD: Live; Tubifex, brine shrimp, insect larvae; flake.
SEX: Difficult to distinguish; females are plumper when mature.
B: Breeding is rare and usually accidental. Try feeding a pair mosquito larvae, Daphnia, and bloodworms to get them in spawning condition. Stimulate the rainy
season to initiate spawning by daily water changes of 1/4 the tank volume. Lower the water temperature to 72-75¡F (22-24¡C) and reduce the tank water
level to half of normal. Each day, add a small amount (5% of the tank volume) of soft water to the tank. If the fish are ready to spawn, the female's belly will
swell. She will lay several hundred eggs on plants. Separate the parents from the eggs. Simulating the rainy season will help the eggs mature. Start feeding the
fry with newly hatched brine shrimp.
BP: 9. Breeding the Glass Catfish is very difficult.
R: A nervous catfish.
DC: 4. The Glass Catfish is sensitive to changes in water chemistry and water pollutants. Its diet should occasionally include live foods.
|
|
|
|
Recent news
DNA study reveals new 1,000-pound grouper species
(8/21/2008) DNA analysis has revealed that a 1,000-pound grouper found in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans is actually two different species.
The long-ignored ocean emergency and what can be done to save it
(8/18/2008) This year has been full of bad news regarding marine ecosystems: one-third of coral species threatened with extinction, dead-zones spread to 415 sites, half of U.S. reefs in fair or bad condition, increase in ocean acidification, tuna and shark populations collapsing, and only four percent of ocean considered pristine. Jeremy Jackson, director of the Scripps Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at the University of California, San Diego, synthesizes such reports and others into a new paper, published in the journal Proceedings of the Naional Academy of Sciences, that boldly lays out the scope of the oceanic emergency and what urgently needs to be done.
Coal burning may make food supplies toxic
(8/18/2008) Coal burning is contaminating the Arctic, and may be affecting human health and polar ecosystems, warn scientists writing in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
How sustainable is your canned tuna? It depends on the retailer
(8/13/2008) To aid concerned tuna-lovers, Greenpeace has ranked eight of the top canned tuna retailers in order from most sustainable to least. Canned tuna from John West, the biggest retailer of tuna in the UK, proves to be the worst of the lot, whereas Salinburys is the most environmentally-friendly. In a press release Greenpeace said that Salinburys is "the only tinned tuna brand that is fished using sustainable methods".
Chevron lobbies Bush Administration for bail out on lawsuit by Amazon tribes
(7/31/2008) Lobbyists for big oil are working feverishly to persuade the Bush Administration and Congress to let Chevron off the hook for a potential $16 billion liability in an environmental lawsuit.
|
|
