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Catfish
/ Loricariidae / Bulldog Catfish
Bulldog Catfish
Chaetostoma sp. | Pictures
Synonyms: Hypostomus
species
Physical description: Has a similar body shape to
Hypostomus species.
The body color is beige to light brown
and marked with brown, connecting stripes, that mark the edges of the body plates that cover the fish's body.
The
iris of the eye, depending on the species may be yellow.
The head is spotted with small brown spots.
Size/Length: Depending on the species, size can range from 2.5" to 10" (6-25 cm)
Similar species: Some members of the
Hypostomus genus are similar.
Habitat: South America; can be found in the Andean foothills, in small rapid streams
S: bottom
Aquarium: For a small species, a 20" (50 cm) or 10 gallon (38 L) tank is sufficient, while
the largest species need a 40" (122 cm) or 40 gallon (150 L) tank.
The tank should have strong circulation
or else the fish are short-lived because of the lack of exercise.
Fine gravel with areas of coarse gravel
is recommended and the water should be well-aerated.
Use strong light to promote algae growth.
This species will not harm plants.
Water chemistry: 6.5-7.5 pH (7.0), 6-15 dH (10), 68-75°F (20-24°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful, diurnal fish, that can be combined in a community tank with small to large
companions.
The Bulldog Catfish can be kept singly or in groups.
Suggested companions: Characins, Corydoras
, Acaras, Cichlasoma
FOOD: Some species may graze on algae, although others will not.
Food tablets; frozen crustaceans; vegetarian
foods; vegetables; peas; live; Tubifex
, crustaceans.
Sexual differences: Difficult to distinguish between the sexes.
Males have a slightly larger snout.
Breeding techniques:
Breeding the Bulldog Catfish is difficult.
The eggs are laid in a cavity or cave,
out of the current.
The male guards the eggs.
The fry should be removed and placed in a rearing tank with strong
circulation.
Start feeding with food tablets, frozen
Artemia, and spinach.
Breeding thus far have been accidental.
Breeding potential: 9.
Accidental breedings have been reported, although these are unusual.
Remarks: About 40 different species in this genus are known.
Difficulty of care: 4.
This hardy catfish can be kept in a community tank.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
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