Everything Brachyplatystoma platynemum thread!!!

cgibby

Jack Dempsey
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finally got this guy in didn't get a chance for in tank shots yet but here are a few while aclimating first time i've actually kept this species and right away i've noticed that he never stops moving! loves the current too in fact it seems like he enjoys it more than my goonch does right now this guy is about 6-7" (not including the streamer) What is the growth rate of this species with heavy feeding? The other Brachyplastoma species I've kept (filamentosum, jurense,tigrinus) even when tanking the growth rate is very slow (less than an inch a month; my fila only grew from 4"-7" in the four and a half months I had him (tried to eat a thick 6" pbass and suffocated in the night) will take more pictures when I get back from holiday


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thebiggerthebetter

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Didn't say but I think this is a slobbering catfish aka Brachyplatystoma platynemum. I know of only one other keeper - RedtailRob - try to PM him. I have seen them several times at John Kreatsoulas' fish house (snookn21). He couldn't wean them off live over many months that he had them... but this thread is really not for such discussions, I think. I suggest starting your own thread on your platynemum.
 

necrocanis

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Looks just like the one I ordered in a few years ago. :) platynemum is a catfish that I wanted to keep for many years. It was disappointing to finally get one in and it was DOA. Oh well. All other fish in that shipment very nice and healthy. I want to try again sometime and see if I can't get them off live. I've not had a catfish yet that I couldn't ween off live. Hopefully this one won't be my downfall lol.
 

cgibby

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The batch john (snookn21) brought in right? I really wanted one but didn't end up pulling the trigger don't remember why but it's a decision I regreted (as I couldn't find another until this one popped up) Hopefully all is well while i'm away knowing that she's already been eating prawns makes it a little easier I will definately update in a new thread when I return :D


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necrocanis

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The batch john (snookn21) brought in right? I really wanted one but didn't end up pulling the trigger don't remember why but it's a decision I regreted (as I couldn't find another until this one popped up) Hopefully all is well while i'm away knowing that she's already been eating prawns makes it a little easier I will definately update in a new thread when I return :D


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Yup. I've always wanted to keep one since I was a kid lol. I thought they looked awesome in all the catfish books I had.
 

thebiggerthebetter

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Looks just like the one I ordered in a few years ago. :) platynemum is a catfish that I wanted to keep for many years. It was disappointing to finally get one in and it was DOA. Oh well. All other fish in that shipment very nice and healthy. I want to try again sometime and see if I can't get them off live. I've not had a catfish yet that I couldn't ween off live. Hopefully this one won't be my downfall lol.


All I know of platynemum is from RedTailRob. This fish has a surprisingly poor record of withstanding transport and adjusting to new conditions. Rob was crazy worried when he was getting it and acclimating it. He succeeded though.

The fact that John snookn21 was not able to wean off live does not mean much beyond that without (semi)-serious starvation of the fish it is nearly impossible. He sells fish. He cannot afford to not feed for weeks/months. Same goes for jurs - I bought two from him 7 months ago. He told me personally that he never could wean them off live. Probably the same reason. Easier fish he does wean off successfully, like Sorubims, TSNs easily take pellets in his care.
 

necrocanis

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All I know of platynemum is from RedTailRob. This fish has a surprisingly poor record of withstanding transport and adjusting to new conditions. Rob was crazy worried when he was getting it and acclimating it. He succeeded though.

The fact that John snookn21 was not able to wean off live does not mean much beyond that without (semi)-serious starvation of the fish it is nearly impossible. He sells fish. He cannot afford to not feed for weeks/months. Same goes for jurs - I bought two from him 7 months ago. He told me personally that he never could wean them off live. Probably the same reason. Easier fish he does wean off successfully, like Sorubims, TSNs easily take pellets in his care.
I don't know that it is surprising to me that they have a poor record of transport. Brachyplatystoma in general all seem to fair poorly in transport, in particular this species. I also agree that john does not have the time to put into weaning his fish as the people who are recieving them do. I to day have not had any issues weaning catfish off of live. Some are more stubborn than others, but even jur, and fila(or capapretum) were relatively easy. I think my most difficult fish was planiceps. It was a large size and had been fed live it's whole life when I recieved it. I will try for a slobbering catfish again in the future when I find them available again. I think these fish need strong air supply as well as current to do well in aquarium settings.
 

Chicxulub

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I am considering one of these for my tank as a 'buddy' for my Jur. I use that word lightly because we all know how territorial large pims can be! Regardless though, I need more bottom action in my tank and I think that another current loving, streamer waving, tripod propping catfish would make a great addition! Plus, I think they look cool.

The main concern that I have if I was to add this fish would be that it could potentially outgrow my Jur and my tigers. The jur and tigers all seem to top at about 2' in aquaria, but I haven't been able to find any satisfactory data about the platy. I know they can get well over 4' in the wild. Would this fish potentially get that large in aquaria as well? I don't want to buy a fish that can't be comfortable in a reasonably sized DIY tank....

Thanks guys
 
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