Ripsaw Catfish

[dthatcherjr]

I have a sold to me as a Ripsaw Catfish in June 2020. It was roughly 3.5 -4 inches . It has not grown a centimeter . It is the craziest thing I have ever seen. I have moved him a few different times . I had it in a new 120 the first 3 months with some smaller TSN, nigrita , and PB grow outs . I had to move it as they grow like weeds and the little guy was in danger of being eaten . I have him now in a 75 gallon community tank trying to get him moving . I know it is eating . I feed hikari sinking carn and ominvore and bloodworms . Any thoughts ? I see posts saying these are growers and I am stumped . Water parameters are all good and checked weekly . Water changes every other .

Pictures oh the little guy

 

[Polypterus_36]

That looks to be a Turushuki blue mouse catfish and not a Oxydoras niger (ripsaw catfish).
They stay much smaller than Oxydoras niger as well. O. niger can reach sizes of 4 feet in aquariums. I believe the mouse catfish only gets around 5 inches maximum.
This is my O. niger:


Mouse catfish have a more slanted face and a less bulkier body, but other than that, they look very similar. I am not surprised it was sold to you as a ripsaw catfish.

 

[krichardson]

Thats one of my problems with trade names,the same name could be slapped on several different fish species depending on the shop or seller.Interesting looking fish,what I can see of it.You may have to take some clearer shots of it's full body though in order for someone to be able to identify it for you.

 

[Polypterus_36]

Thats one of my problems with trade names,the same name could be slapped on several different fish species depending on the shop or seller.Interesting looking fish,what I can see of it.You may have to take some clearer shots of it's full body though in order for someone to be able to identify it for you.

I find that the mouse catfish and the O. niger are confused a lot.
I have seen O. niger being sold as turushuki mouse catfish, and I have also seen turushuki mouse catfish being sold as O. niger.

 

[krichardson]

I find that the mouse catfish and the O. niger are confused a lot.
I have seen O. niger being sold as turushuki mouse catfish, and I have also seen turushuki mouse catfish being sold as O. niger.

I've never seen it before until recently where it was listed as a blue niger or some nonsense.

 

[dthatcherjr]

Well that has me with mixed emotions lol . I had the seller hunting me a ripsaw that I could grow out. However , It make sense now it is a blue turk mouse . It’s a well known seller in the southeast that has cancer now . So he closed shop so I don’t really have much recourse . I paid to much for him though . I will just keep the little guy in the community tank . Thx for all the comments .

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

As P36 says above, this is no Oxydoras but a mouse or black top mouse kind of a Doradid, most likely a species from the Hassar or Doras genus. They are miniature Doradids.

If you paid attention to the number of the lateral scutes, it'd be easy for you to see this is clearly not an Oxydoras, way too many scutes. The body proportions are also quite different to a careful eye.

 

[dthatcherjr]

I trusted the guy selling it to me . I am not a expert in this species, especially at this size . The seller is dying so I am just going to let it be .

This is what I think it maybe , but is this even a species ? https://exoticfishshop.net/product/blue-ripsaw-catfish-2/

 

[Polypterus_36]

This is what I think it maybe , but is this even a species ? https://exoticfishshop.net/product/blue-ripsaw-catfish-2/

Yep, that is it.
Of course it is being sold as "blue ripsaw cafish". Soo misleading.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

The fish from EFS's Steve is like yours, may or may not be the exact species as yours.

You leaving the seller alone is a honorable, kind thing. No one was suggesting otherwise.

People experienced in the hobby know that vendors rarely concern themselves with exact species ID. Only few vendors do this and they deal in rare fish, so the ID better be right. Otherwise, they have no time, energy, or interest, or monetary gain in it. They receive fish by thousands. They just go by the exporter's fish list names. The exporters vary in their level of fish ID knowledge and can, and often do, call the fish by local and/or vernacular names, often meaningless, like turushuki, or bacu, etc. - names used for MANY similar fish in that geographical locale.

They could have called it a thorn-not-in-the-butt-but-along-side armored prehistoric hacksaw suckermouth sifter antipredatory catfish, and no one would care along the supply chain until it reached the consumer, who must know how to care for it.

Buyers must make sure they know what they are buying IMHumbleO. Request photos ahead of buying. Post them here if unsure. As simple as that. Basic primitive homework... and then growth in the knowledge and the hobby ensues, and we all learn and share and enjoy the hobby together much more so than each alone and separate.