The Auchenipteridae family have some beautiful and interesting representatives in the hobby, Gulper Cats/Asterophysus batrachus, Jaguar Catfish/Liosomadoras oncinus, False Jaguar Catfish/Liosomadoras morrowi, Zamora Woodcat/Auchenipterichthys coracoideus and the Ageneiosus cats such as marmoratus . One of the lesser known members is Trachycorystes trachycorystes a personal favorite of mine and due to some inspiration from fishopolis I decided I would try and breed the two I have and figured as long as I'm documenting the attempt I might as well also give a quick profile for them.
-Common name: Black Driftwood Catfish
-Scientific name: Trachycorystes trachycorystes
-Family: Auchenipteridae
-Subfamily: Auchenipterinae
-Distribution: Amazon, Rio Solimões region, Brazil, Venezuela and Peru
-Temperature: 23.0-29.0°C or 73.4-84.2°F
-PH: 6.4-7.0
-Size: 14-17 inches
-Sexing: Males have genital papilla and do not grow as large as females as well as develop thickened barbels and larger dorsal and pectoral spines.
-Personality: An aggressive fish that requires a species tank with plenty of refuges, as this species will also attack its own congeners when it feels like it (see Reference; TFH article by K & B Teats)- sourced from Planetcatfish.com
According to Richard Hardwick, this one has the personality of a Hemibagrus wyckii on an off-day and will try to bite your hand if you put it in the tank.- sourced from a Practical Fishkeeping article Published by: Matt Clarke Friday 5 May 2006
Trachycorystes trachycorystes is supposed to be an all black catfish including their undersides and the specimens I possess lack that distinction as their undersides are white. So I'm unsure if my Trachy's are indeed Trachycorystes trachycorystes, which may explain my different experience in keeping them and their personality. My specimens have always been very peaceful even among themselves when disputing over a hide. The only thing to be concerned with is maintaining them with appropriately sized tankmates as they will prey on other fish. Though I will also state that despite an extremely large mouth they have at 12 inches ignored anything 5-6 inches and larger in my experience. Another thing to note is that these cats need a tight fitting hide in order to feel secure. Their natural defense from predators is to cram themselves between wood or into logs and erect their spines making removal from their resting place by would be predators nearly impossible. Failing to supply them with such a hide creates a lot of stress and they will never cease looking for shelter and will wedge themselves between any tank equipment they can often times dislodging heaters and intakes as well as try to hide behind one another. Another notable habit of theirs is their ability to create sound. The sound is similar to frogs croaking and is often used during territorial disputes.
Brief history of my Trachycorystes-I had originally started out with 4 Trachycorystes from Rich/Infinite Aquatics(miss you man). They arrived 3/7/2008 and I sold 2 sometime between there and now and the 2 I have left are currently the oldest fish in my collection at about 6 years of age, both are currently approx. 11-12 inches.
The reason for me writing this thread and attempting to breed my Trachy's was because fishopolis was under the impression that I may have lucked out and my 2 Trachy's are 1 male and 1 female based on this pic. Fishopolis noted the thickened genital papilla and how it was pressed against the other Trachy's genitals, taking on a position one would imagine they might take during mating. Fishopolis believes that them entwined this way was a good sign for possible breeding and even suggested I contribute the pic to Planetcatfish.com while trying to obtain more info on breeding.
In this close up pick I believe you can see how the males anal fins first ray is thickened to the point of appearing to be a tube.
Planetcatfish had an article in Shane's World about how to sex catfish including Auchenipteridae but the images have all disappeared. So upon doing some looking around myself I saw other Auchenipteridae profiles where the the pics where labeled male and female and they show the differences in the anal fins. In the Auchenipterichthys coracoideus/Zamora Woodcat profile they show a male and female side by side so you can see the modified anal fin in the male and how the females compares. http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=352
Now interestingly the 2 Trachy's got locked like this during a feeding incident where they both went for the same pellet and one's whiskers got caught in the others mouth and they refused to let go. Still now knowing that I probably have a male and a female and that the males instincts are there and isnpired by fishopolis's suggestion I decided it would be worthwhile to try an breed them. So this thread will document my hopefully positive progress.
-Common name: Black Driftwood Catfish
-Scientific name: Trachycorystes trachycorystes
-Family: Auchenipteridae
-Subfamily: Auchenipterinae
-Distribution: Amazon, Rio Solimões region, Brazil, Venezuela and Peru
-Temperature: 23.0-29.0°C or 73.4-84.2°F
-PH: 6.4-7.0
-Size: 14-17 inches
-Sexing: Males have genital papilla and do not grow as large as females as well as develop thickened barbels and larger dorsal and pectoral spines.
-Personality: An aggressive fish that requires a species tank with plenty of refuges, as this species will also attack its own congeners when it feels like it (see Reference; TFH article by K & B Teats)- sourced from Planetcatfish.com
According to Richard Hardwick, this one has the personality of a Hemibagrus wyckii on an off-day and will try to bite your hand if you put it in the tank.- sourced from a Practical Fishkeeping article Published by: Matt Clarke Friday 5 May 2006
Trachycorystes trachycorystes is supposed to be an all black catfish including their undersides and the specimens I possess lack that distinction as their undersides are white. So I'm unsure if my Trachy's are indeed Trachycorystes trachycorystes, which may explain my different experience in keeping them and their personality. My specimens have always been very peaceful even among themselves when disputing over a hide. The only thing to be concerned with is maintaining them with appropriately sized tankmates as they will prey on other fish. Though I will also state that despite an extremely large mouth they have at 12 inches ignored anything 5-6 inches and larger in my experience. Another thing to note is that these cats need a tight fitting hide in order to feel secure. Their natural defense from predators is to cram themselves between wood or into logs and erect their spines making removal from their resting place by would be predators nearly impossible. Failing to supply them with such a hide creates a lot of stress and they will never cease looking for shelter and will wedge themselves between any tank equipment they can often times dislodging heaters and intakes as well as try to hide behind one another. Another notable habit of theirs is their ability to create sound. The sound is similar to frogs croaking and is often used during territorial disputes.
Brief history of my Trachycorystes-I had originally started out with 4 Trachycorystes from Rich/Infinite Aquatics(miss you man). They arrived 3/7/2008 and I sold 2 sometime between there and now and the 2 I have left are currently the oldest fish in my collection at about 6 years of age, both are currently approx. 11-12 inches.
The reason for me writing this thread and attempting to breed my Trachy's was because fishopolis was under the impression that I may have lucked out and my 2 Trachy's are 1 male and 1 female based on this pic. Fishopolis noted the thickened genital papilla and how it was pressed against the other Trachy's genitals, taking on a position one would imagine they might take during mating. Fishopolis believes that them entwined this way was a good sign for possible breeding and even suggested I contribute the pic to Planetcatfish.com while trying to obtain more info on breeding.
In this close up pick I believe you can see how the males anal fins first ray is thickened to the point of appearing to be a tube.
Planetcatfish had an article in Shane's World about how to sex catfish including Auchenipteridae but the images have all disappeared. So upon doing some looking around myself I saw other Auchenipteridae profiles where the the pics where labeled male and female and they show the differences in the anal fins. In the Auchenipterichthys coracoideus/Zamora Woodcat profile they show a male and female side by side so you can see the modified anal fin in the male and how the females compares. http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=352
Now interestingly the 2 Trachy's got locked like this during a feeding incident where they both went for the same pellet and one's whiskers got caught in the others mouth and they refused to let go. Still now knowing that I probably have a male and a female and that the males instincts are there and isnpired by fishopolis's suggestion I decided it would be worthwhile to try an breed them. So this thread will document my hopefully positive progress.
