Tocantins ’24K gold’ Giant Talking Catfish (Megalodoras cf. uranoscopus)

[thebiggerthebetter]

I wish I could offer some helpful thoughts but I've never personally dealt with the yellow-on-black irwini. Almost all I know and don't know is reflected in this thread.

I've not moved anywhere in my knowledge. And as you can see from this thread, no one new stepped out and showed evidence pro or con.

Oliver though commands my highest respect. He is a great guy and a fish head, no argument here. I'd trust him, yet keeping in the back of my mind that no one is perfect. If he stands behind his fish and price, I'd try to make a deal with him that if the irwini grows up to look average (it looks average in the picture you had just posted) then you get your money back. To make it fair, I'd report the raising of this irwini in a thread available to all to judge and learn from. It places communal accountability both on the buyer and on the vendor too.

If he says thank you, not interested, I'd totally understand too. Vendors of fish is not the easiest way to make a living, actually it is a hard, dirty, risky, labor intensive, thankless occupation, dealing with spoiled kid-customers these days, everyone expects a stellar customer service or stinks it up online, etc... usually the only major factor that sustains this job is the love and curiosity about fish, it's a plus. All the rest seems but minuses...

My $0.02

 

[Albertan]

I can certainly put a grow out thread up. I talked to Oliver about it, expressing my concerns. Here's what he explained to me. I'm sure he wouldn't mind me sharing it.

There are 2 Megalodoras, one is the typical Amazon lowland species, M.uranoscopus - the yellow patches loose intensity as the fish get bigger. The other is found in the rivers of the Brazilian Shield (Tapajos/Xingu/Araguaia/Tocantins) and here the yellow patches become more intense as the fish get bigger. They are more expensive (also because it is more expensive to ship larger fish). At the small sizes i have either fish you won’t see a difference yet. Pictures taken in the same 8” bucket.

The group of three are the regular variant. The larger solitary individual is the yellow Brazilian Shield variant. Maybe I should get a regular one to grow out with them. But 72" of catfish is a lot of bioload...

 

[amazontank]

That's great news about the new variant of Irwinni!
I was thinking it was just the same yellow that wild Juruense cats would have and it had something to do with there diet.
Those yellow Irwinni are the best! I would be stoked to join the growout thread!

 

[krichardson]

I came across these two beauties and thought of this thread.

I have no information on the photo as someone shared it on FB.

 

[GiantFishKeeper101]

According to Mark it's a new undescribed species, latest paper on it's molecular still haven't out yet. These have entered asian markets, juveniles. They're pale yellow when small but the color gets stronger as they grow. I have a friend who have 3 of these species, I watch his updates.

 

[Iamfish]

Saw this super gold one and had to post it here
http://instagr.am/p/CDwG7Zgpf0y/

 

[amazontank]

That's one of the coolest catfish I ever seen!
Thanks for posting!

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Saw this super gold one and had to post it here
http://instagr.am/p/CDwG7Zgpf0y/

Amazing!

 

[Yaponchik]

I'm getting one over the weekend hopefully. This one grew from 10" to 14" and just kept getting lighter. Not as yellow of course as the ones in the photos, but it is one of a kind.

 

[bh_aquatic]

Even though this thread is a little old I will add this tid bit for those explore with dietary drivers.. I've found that allot of the pigment variation can also be driven by diet. I've been playing with this and it is a actuaaaally a thing.. however that doesn't take away or replace genetic predisposition and species adaptions. but certain plants supplemented in the captiv environment in the diet have an effect on pigment just enough to make a dull fish look more awesome (if that's a thing)