picking up a 6in raplhy today looking for all good bad or indifference comments on them. this is the first one i have own done some reading but i like comments from "real" people versus just a lot book stuff.... Thanks in advance... 
Raphael Catfish
- Thread starter gravel_digger
- Start date
they can survive in with super aggressive cichlids, tend to hide, and eat anything they can. thats about it, also max size is around 7-9 inches, my neighbour has one in with around 60 african cichlids in a 210, and it does just fine
i have one and it is a cool fish but it hides most of the time, the only time i really see it is if i put food in the tank and the light are on low but i love it
during daylight hours, they're about as active as rocks. put on some actinic lights or LEDs when its dark, and youll seem them prowl all over the tank.
Beautiful fish but you will probably never see it after you bring it home as they are nocturnal and love to hide away during the day....I just noticed this thread a few days later so did you get it,have you seen it?
Mine goes through phases. Sometimes he hides all day long and sometimes you see him swimming around for hours at time with the lights on.
Is it a striped raphael or a spotted? Striped are more active that spotted. I have a striped raphael and he comes out during feeding in the morning and evening and goes all around the tank with tons of energy. Other than that he hides in my little ship decoration for the rest of the day AND night. I have not kept a spotted raphael but I've heard they are full nocturnal. You will never see them moving while the lights are on.
Other than the active state of these fish, my raphael is a great catfish. Never seen any aggression towards my pictus or sailfin pleco. I think he "plays" with my sailfin when I drop in an algae wafer. He'll grab the algae wafer out of the sailfins mouth and then drop it. He repeats this for a few turns then swims away. its pretty funny. Great catfish overall. My favorite of them all.
Other than the active state of these fish, my raphael is a great catfish. Never seen any aggression towards my pictus or sailfin pleco. I think he "plays" with my sailfin when I drop in an algae wafer. He'll grab the algae wafer out of the sailfins mouth and then drop it. He repeats this for a few turns then swims away. its pretty funny. Great catfish overall. My favorite of them all.
Plec123;4431226; said:
Completely agree with this. Mine does not move AT ALL in the light. All he does is hide in his cave, if you weren't told he was in the tank you'd never know he was in there. However, at night he's always on the roam. (and when I flick the lights on I get about 5 seconds to see him swim back into his cave).
gravel_digger;4419014; said:picking up a 6in raplhy today looking for all good bad or indifference comments on them. this is the first one i have own done some reading but i like comments from "real" people versus just a lot book stuff.... Thanks in advance...
stripped raphaels grow quite large and chunky. 10 to12 inches tl.spotted ralphs max out at about 6 inches. both get really huge stomachs,and are not at all picky eaters.they just have insatiable appetites.both grow relatively slowly.both are totally peaceful. and a joy to keep. i've had 15 or so at a time in a 150 gal. tank with various large cichlids and they weren't totally nocturnal.i used a large terra cotta strawberry pot .the kind with the holes built into the sides.i stood it on it's lid and hid a large weighted sponge filter inside,with the airline coming through the hole in the bottom; which is now the top.i found it to be a great way to hide a large sponge bio-filter; and all the raphaels used it as a sort of high rise apartment complex!! yes they all piled in the same spot. it was really cool to hear them talking in that terra cotta pot!!!!