South American Bumblebee Catfish

[kaz]

South American Bumblebee Catfish

Scientific Name:
Microglanis iheringi

Range:
South America: Rio Turmero, Rio Merecure, Rio Tuy, Rio Merecure, Venezuela.

I just got this critter and read that he eats fish ouch, the lfs didnt say anything of this sort. this guys is in my 20g sig tank and is going to be transfered to the 75g once its setup, is this guy a keeper or take this terrorist back?

 

[TCTFish]

The fish you have, he'll end up eating them. When searching for a catfish, beside checking out how big they get before getting, check to see how big their mouth is. If it's mouth is big enough for any of your fish to fit in it, most likely some day they will go in it.

Why don't you take the leporinus while you take this kitty back??? May get a good opportunity for a good trade amount to get something compatible. Just a thought. Perhaps you can add on to the neon school...at least three more. They are schooling fish and are more comfortable with a school of three or more fish. Five makes a cute little school The best catfish for the community tank are cory cats. Another neat cat is the flagtail porthole. They're shaped similar to cories, but a little bigger.

 

[pwrflpills]

On the contrary, I've read that the South American species stays very small (2") and is a good community fish. The Asian one, however, will get larger (6+") and indeed eat your small schooling fish.

 

[kaz]

I did research and everything I read is kind of what pwr is saying, but there are mix emotions about this topic, any more information like first hand experiences? thanks guys for all the comments and help I appreciate it.

 

[TCTFish]

Oops...had a mishap...LOL...I'll try again...

 

[kaz]

interesting about sw puffers because their the ones ive seen with other fish so I was going to try put on south american puffer in my 75g tank.

 

[TCTFish]

LOL...I guess you read it anyway...LOL...I wrote that on the wrong thread, but glad you found it useful. The South American puffer is really one of the only true FW puffers. It'd be best to try introducing them almost last...prior to semi aggressive fish like gouramis, but after all the smaller fish, more peaceable fish. They are the only FW puffer I know of to be accepting of any fish. They're little cuties too

IMO about the BB cat...as I mentioned...if you have fish it can fit in it's mouth, then someday it will end up in it's mouth. I've read they can get about 4". Ok for medium to large fish, but not small tetras like neons or glo lites.

 

[toddnbecka]

Had one many years ago, long before the internet and fish forums. It lived inside a plastic shipwreck ornament, or burrowed under a rock if the ship was removed. It was nocturnal, and would only be glimpsed briefly when the lights were turned on after dark, moving very fast back to its den. It died trying to swallow a bumblebee goby.

 

[RoK]

Those do stay pretty small but I bet (at least eventually) will be able to eat neons.

 

[kaz]

I took him back