Fish closely related or similar to RTC?

[coolcomfort]

Hello, I have 2 questions. I was wondering, what type of catfish is most closely related with RTC? I was reading the wiki and I saw that it's the last survivor of the Phractocephalus genus. However, does anyone know which catfish comes close to it?

Also, does anyone know of a catfish that appears similar even though it may be in a completely different genus? Looking for something that has a similar beauty of the RTC. Haven't seen a catfish as colorful or as full looking though.

 

[Rob909]

NOT MY PHOTO
courtesy of google, there is an Asian red tailed catfish. I saw some for sale at my LFS a little over a year ago. Haven’t seen them since.
(Completely unrelated but they have similarities)

 

[coolcomfort]

Is there such thing as a short body Asian red tail catfish. Or a mix between Asian red tail and South American red tail?

 

[Rob909]

C Chicxulub may know some more about this but I’ve never heard of Asian red tails being bred enough to get a short body or a hybrid with the South American.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Hello, I have 2 questions. I was wondering, what type of catfish is most closely related with RTC? I was reading the wiki and I saw that it's the last survivor of the Phractocephalus genus. However, does anyone know which catfish comes close to it?

*****I think you have already answered your question. RTC is pretty unique. No other fish so close to it as far as the DNA to be in the same genus.

Also, does anyone know of a catfish that appears similar even though it may be in a completely different genus? Looking for something that has a similar beauty of the RTC. Haven't seen a catfish as colorful or as full looking though.

*****Consistent with the above, the colors of the RTC are not found on other catfish either. Full-looking... there is plenty of thick catfish with a wide head (hence the Phractocephalus). This is defined by a catfish biology, what it does and how it does it. In a way NA flathead catfish sometimes is compared to the SA RTC.

*****I recommend combing through the Cat-eLog on Planet Catfish - each entry shows the first photo when you point at it with a cursor. Perhaps something will catch your eye. The closest family to Pimelodidae are Heptapteridae.

Is there such thing as a short body Asian red tail catfish. Or a mix between Asian red tail and South American red tail?

*****Praise the Lord, neither exists AFAIK. Opinions vary. It's an open forum. Everyone can voice theirs. Any short body or an unnatural hybrid is a hideous abomination of varying severity in my eyes. On so many levels, including moral.

 

[moe214]

The only similarity Asian red tails have to SA is in the name. The tail. Generally artc is much more territorial, slender in comparison, may get a bit longer in the end, but most grow slower. Due to being more slender is less likely to swallow fish whole, but I've had one take a chunk out of a wolffish of similar size. That's only one experience though. Can't say I've hear of anyone else had one do the same. And that particular fish only did it the one time.

Personally I feel like jau are similar in build, not as big of a build still though when same size. Grows larger than rtc, might be more territorial. They remind of black rtc but I like their fin shapes better. Flatter head as well, you can tell they deal with current more than an rtc does imo. Viktor can tell you more.

 

[coolcomfort]

Wow I really like the way the Jau looks. Anyone have another similar catfish that they’d recommend?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Wow I really like the way the Jau looks. Anyone have another similar catfish that they’d recommend?

Aesthetically may be similar - Hemibagrus wyckii.

 

[coolcomfort]

Is there such thing as a short body Asian red tail catfish. Or a mix between Asian red tail and South American red tail?

*****Praise the Lord, neither exists AFAIK. Opinions vary. It's an open forum. Everyone can voice theirs. Any short body or an unnatural hybrid is a hideous abomination of varying severity in my eyes. On so many levels, including moral.

I would agree with you to some extant. Short bodies are horrible but I read that they do happen naturally in very rare cases. Obviously, this doesn't mean we should go around forcing animals to form short bodies. However, I'd like to know, what is your opinion on albino/leucistic fish?

Aesthetically may be similar - Hemibagrus wyckii.

That's an interesting fish. I'm reading that the max length is 2 feet 3 inches. Seems kind of short, wonder how true that is.

 

[moe214]

I would agree with you to some extant. Short bodies are horrible but I read that they do happen naturally in very rare cases. Obviously, this doesn't mean we should go around forcing animals to form short bodies. However, I'd like to know, what is your opinion on albino/leucistic fish?



That's an interesting fish. I'm reading that the max length is 2 feet 3 inches. Seems kind of short, wonder how true that is.

Color morphs are different from deformations, however inbreeding for color morphs can cause deformations, so some may view it cruel. As for the wyckii, id say average is 2' rare to see one over 2', likely those are old healthy fish with good genetics, or they may just not be reported on long term enough.