Ripsaw catfish shedding slime?

[Fishpony]

Hey,
I recently purchase a ripsaw catfish from my lfs and placed him into my tank. I watched him/her eat pellets while at the store, and it was in a tank with koi and Chinese Banded high-fin barbs. I drip acclimated him into my tank and he hasn't eaten and I always keep the lights off unless it's feeding time. I turned the lights on and noticed he had strings of what appeared to be slime stripping off him. I did a small water change so I wondering if he'll be okay.

 

[convict360]

I've not kept that catfish, so treat what i say with a pinch of salt...the only similar thing i've heard of, is RTC's shedding their skin when stressed, so hopefully it's not a long term problem for you.

More experienced posters will identify exactly what the reason is though, or if there's any truth to my thoughts

 

[rodger]

What other fish are in the tank?

 

[horopgedrik]

Hope there is no common pleco in your tank. That would be nightmare for your niger catfish at that condition.

 

[rodger]

Hope there is no common pleco in your tank. That would be nightmare for your niger catfish at that condition.

Yes, pleco flagtails or anything that will suck a slimecoat off. I had to learn the hard way.

 

[Fishpony]

What other fish are in the tank?

I have it with a 3 inch oscar, a sun catfish, and a 6-7 inch Jardini arowana. The ripsaw is almost as big as the arowana and the arowana doesn't really mess with him. I rarely see him swimming around since when I turn the lights on he swim back to his hiding place. I notice he swims out as soon as the lights in the room are off. I think about feeding the tanks a few minutes after I turn off the lights so he can get some food.

 

[horopgedrik]

I have it with a 3 inch oscar, a sun catfish, and a 6-7 inch Jardini arowana. The ripsaw is almost as big as the arowana and the arowana doesn't really mess with him. I rarely see him swimming around since when I turn the lights on he swim back to his hiding place. I notice he swims out as soon as the lights in the room are off. I think about feeding the tanks a few minutes after I turn off the lights so he can get some food.

My niger, just like yours, afraid of the lights too, it's been so long and keep like that.
And I've given up, so I choose to follow what my niger wants, I never turn my lights on when feeding.
But I heard from my friend, niger will change that behavior when reach at 2' minimum size, they will be dare to the lights.
Not sure about it, only time will tell the truth.
Here is my niger btw, around 15'' each.

 

[rodger]

My niger, just like yours, afraid of the lights too, it's been so long and keep like that.
And I've given up, so I choose to follow what my niger wants, I never turn my lights on when feeding.
But I heard from my friend, niger will change that behavior when reach at 2' minimum size, they will be dare to the lights.
Not sure about it, only time will tell the truth.
Here is my niger btw, around 15'' each.
View attachment 1149442

Maybe because at 2 ft it is hard to find a place to hide? Very few catfish want to be out when the sun is up. They are all like vampires.

 

[Fishpony]

Maybe because at 2 ft it is hard to find a place to hide? Very few catfish want to be out when the sun is up. They are all like vampires.

Ya, he's only been in my tanks for 2 and 1/2 days and when I see him sifting the gravel for food I try to feed him but he always swims over to the sponge filter. So far he must be still acclimating to my tank. I really want to see him eating some bloodworms

 

[horopgedrik]

Maybe because at 2 ft it is hard to find a place to hide? Very few catfish want to be out when the sun is up. They are all like vampires.

It could be, or maybe they just feel no need to afraid anything at that size.
Yup, IME, most of my catfish act like nocturnal, and some of them, I don't even know when they feed just found them with full belly in the morning.