Striped Rafael Catfish

[GouramiFanatic]

Does anyone have any experience with the cats?

I recently saw some at a lfs and couldn't take my eyes off them! I know that they're primarily nocturnal so I'd have to get some more good hiding spots to make them comfortable, but I'm wondering about compatibility with my other fish. Right now I have 2 Dwarf Flame Gouramis. Would they be ok with a SRC? Also, if I get the Cats would I also be able to get a Pleco or should it be one or the other?

Thanks,
- Mandy

[rubysoho]

their scientific name is Platydoras costatus so you will have more luck searching for information on these guys if you enter that into google. From what I've read, they get to about 7 inches long and have spikes on their pectoral fins so you will not be able to use a net to catch them if you ever need to move them. Like you said, they are nocturnal, and need lots of hiding spots, especially if you get more than one. The size of the dwarf gouramis and the size of the catfish's mouth will determine just how safe the gouramis will be. The catfish will take down large tetras at night and this *could* present a problem to your gouramis, but I am not sure. Just throwing that out for consideration. I think you could get the catfish and a pleco. I've never seen a problem between a pleco and most other fish.

[Toirtis]

I have 18 of them! (Can you tell that I love Doradid cats?). They are absolutely fabulous...up to 6"-8" long, appetites the size of planets, fully nocturnal (I have several that I have not seen in months), and armoured well enogh that nothing bothers them. They will not bother your dwarf gouramies (although they would inhale sparkling gouramis and baby gouramis), but they do need to be kept away from smaller fish, as they inhale indiscriminately when they feed, so not recommended for a tank that may have desired spawning taking place in it.

[GouramiFanatic]

Thanks guys!

No worries about having smaller fish or fry being snatched up as I'm not planning on adding any small fish or breeding. In fact, there are very few 'small' fish that I'd even consider getting right now. Nothing at all against the smaller guys, but I prefer the bigger ones. As long as my Gouramis are safe that's all I care about for now.

Toirtis - Since you have SO many of them (*** I'm jealous ***) I'm sure you could answer this one for me. Is it normal for them to have 'round' bellies? The ones that I was looking at had somewhat rounded bellies. They weren't grossly huge or anything like that, but I wasn't sure if this was normal for them.

Also, do they like to be kept together? How many should I get to keep them happy?

What else should I know about them in order to provide a happy and healthy home for them?

- Mandy

[Toirtis]

Originally Posted by GouramiFanatic

Is it normal for them to have 'round' bellies? The ones that I was looking at had somewhat rounded bellies. They weren't grossly huge or anything like that, but I wasn't sure if this was normal for them.

Remember that appetite that I mentioned? They will eat until they look like they have swallowed golf balls...it isn't exactly the most healthy thing, but isn't particularly abnormal.

Also, do they like to be kept together? How many should I get to keep them happy?

They do fine singly, but do seem to bea reasonably social, so a couple-three is probably just fine.

What else should I know about them in order to provide a happy and healthy home for them?

Lots of good-sized hiding places with wide openings...they need somewhere to hide out during the day.

[newhobbist]

I have 18 of them! (Can you tell that I love Doradid cats?). They are absolutely fabulous...up to 6"-8" long, appetites the size of planets, fully nocturnal (I have several that I have not seen in months),

That's incredible! I just wonder, how do you recognize each of them.

[newhobbist]

I'm slow. You probably have them in more than one tank.

[Toirtis]

Originally Posted by newhobbist

I'm slow. You probably have them in more than one tank.

Yes, along with my spotted rapheals and two other species (O. eigenmanni and A. spinossimus), they are scattered amongst about 26 tanks.