Three Sperata allegedly aor from Ray Chan

[thebiggerthebetter]

They are beautiful! How big do they get? They look a LOT like Armored Catfish (that's all I know the species as - I have one, very hard to get a pic of, as he's always in hiding, like my Spotted Raphael), but with a different head!

3' is the usual size but 4' is not uncommon... even in captivity in private hands A arapaimag reported 1-2 of his to reach 4'

They are all from the same family Doradidae aka thorny catfish or armored catfish, although there are other catfish called armored catfish - corydoras, hoplos, and Co - Callichthyidae https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/family.php?family_id=1

I have not been able to find any pics online of my species - think of a Spotted Raphael, but without the spots - about 8" max, same size as a Spotted (I've had him for ~10yrs now), but not a Acanthodoras spinosissimus
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In fact, I just went through the whole page on Planet Catfish and nothing aside from the Spotted looks even remotely like it -
https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/subfamily.php?subfamily_id=8

Though he does kind of look like a Platydoras Costatus - not sure the head is that flat though -
https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=166

It's most usually nearly impossible to go by descriptions to ID a species. You'd need to provide a few good photos to be sure. I'd either catch the fish in the net and bring it to the front glass to photograph or place it in a phototank, makeshift or not.

10 years is a very respectful term! God job. I'm guessing it's a raphael. Costatus is a very common species. These guys lived 20-30 years in some people's hands and are still alive today.

I didn't get your "Nautilus" comment the first time as I thought of the animal but now I guess you meant Captain Nemo's armored submarine of Jules Verne. Silly me.

This thread is not a fitting place for discussing Doradiids. I am suggesting for us to continue, if we do, in my niger thread I linked or for you to make your own ID thread for your catfish.

We may have to ask a mod to transfer relevant posts of yours and mine to my niger thread.

 

[BIG-G]

Can I ask what it the smaller albino cat that makes an appearance in the lower right between the 35 to 45 second mark.?

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Can I ask what it the smaller albino cat that makes an appearance in the lower right between the 35 to 45 second mark.?

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...s-stuck-at-1-for-4-years.679720/#post-7642518

 

[BIG-G]

Cool thanks.

 

[SBM]

I had a talk with Mr. Andrew Rao about sperata aor and i was supposed to buy a six cm specimens we see them in our local market also but unfortunately i was informed that the aor perished as they are very sensitive at small sizes. but in future will buy goonch and ompok malabaricus

And the bigger the better sorry the video i cannot find it. Can you post a pic it will be helpful . I will watch the video again to identify and find the fish as i am on mobile sorry.

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Saw the sperta. It's aor but i am not so sure as it should have been dark on the above or it will be as it ages. Let Jibran da chime in. He has one aor.

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Btw very beautiful occupants

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Update video on the Sperata trio:

 

[isde02]

Update video on the Sperata trio:

I love that Nile perch, your temensis, and your uh...other fish lol.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

One year later.

The alpha aor went into the other 4500 gal with the big dogs a long time ago, 8-10 months, and has been fine there, still giving the piraiba a chase sometimes. The other two are still in the original 4500 gal - the beta took up the former alpha's hangout spot and the gamma remains an ever-persistent challenger. They go at it daily many times a day. As usual no blood but lots of scuff marks and some fin tatter. I need to separate them at the first opportunity.

No change in dietary preferences. Never take fish, only pellet. Grew some. The alpha is 2.5'. The other two are around 2'-2.5'.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Not a user friendly update but I've no time for anything else... so the Sperata lovers will need to a lot of time and a sharp eye to spot the trio in these 4 videos. Two aor are still in the same 4500 gal and the alpha, as per the above, is in the RTC 4500 gal. No changes to report. The alpha still makes piraiba's life interesting. The other two battle it out constantly. Only take pellets, ignore thawed marine baitfish.

Two here:

One here:

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

No changes from the May update, except Rodrigo of Predatory Fins adopted one of the these from the 4500 gal where were two of the Sperata, so now it is more peaceful.

This is an excerpt from the "Catch'em with a blanket case..." video (the catching of 12 large catfish for Rodrigo)

(full video if interested)