Gymnallabes typus

[Rtc/tsn]

Don’t think I have a thread about this guy yet so here you go. Gymnallabes typus, the African eel catfish. Yesterday I added an airstone ton the tank and today my moms woke me up saying he’s playing in it. I’ll attach a video as soon as it uploads. Also added a bit of worm for him and he loved it. Took a minute to get down but he finally got it all. Pictures will be posted soon.

 

[Rtc/tsn]

Catfish eel playing in bubbles

 

[Rtc/tsn]

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

This is the catfish answer to kuhli loaches.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

This is the catfish answer to kuhli loaches.

Lol, what happened today is pretty much the biggest possible reinforcement to this statement. I can't not mention it.

It had rained, so I decided to gather some of the sidewalk worms to feed my fish with. Originally I only intended to feed my clown loaches worms, but that changed as soon as I came across worms small and thin enough to give to the black kuhli loaches (and a worm is precisely what the eel catfish in the pictures is eating, keep this detail in mind).
Threw those small, thin worms into the quarantine tank of 19 kuhlis, and it didn't take long for them to be noticed. Once that happened it was an absolute free for all, with a ton of kuhlis initially going for the worm and whatever kuhli that got the worm in its mouth having frequent 'tug-of-wars' with another trying to take the worm from it.
The kuhlis that eventually ended up winning the tugs-of-war ended up eating the worm exactly like the eel catfish is. Tail first, bit by bit, and in a secluded spot. They even looked very similar to the catfish eating the worm, since black kuhli loaches and eel catfish have similar shape, similar color, and even similar barbels around their mouths. I saw some of this eel catfish in every one of the kuhlis which won the tug-of-wars for the worm, which prompted me to report right back here.

And after they ate, of course, they decided to dance/play up and down the sides of the tank exactly like the eel catfish did with the bubbles. Lol.

Rtc/tsn , since I bumped this I may as well ask. Any updates for the eel catfish?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

I vaguely recall an advice (need?) to have earthworms empty their bowels entirely of the dirt before being fed to aquarium fish. Can anyone elaborate? Is this a health issue or something else?

 

[FuriousFish]

I vaguely recall an advice (need?) to have earthworms empty their bowels entirely of the dirt before being fed to aquarium fish. Can anyone elaborate? Is this a health issue or something else?

That's interesting, I am curious to know as well.

 

[Fallen_Leaves16]

I vaguely recall an advice (need?) to have earthworms empty their bowels entirely of the dirt before being fed to aquarium fish. Can anyone elaborate? Is this a health issue or something else?

I'm pretty sure it's mainly due to sanitary reasons (e.g. worms exuding soil and other waste materials into the water) and/or general unwillingness to feed waste-filled worms to fish. There may also be a taste difference between worms with emptied bowels and ones that haven't been emptied, though I can't confirm. As far as I know, nearly all worm species absorb toxins which then accumulate in their tissue, and there really aren't any transmittable parasites found in most terrestrial worm species commonly offered as feeders or bait, so I can't really think of another reason to purge worms. I personally don't, and haven't seen any issues from doing so.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

Agreed. I feed worms without purging and there don't seem to be any taste or water quality issues.

 

[Fishman Dave]

Can’t say I have ever had any issues from feeding unpurged worms but I do recall being told many years ago to be careful if using pesticides, fertilisers or any other chemicals such as weed killers on the garden and then feeding worms to fish.