True Flat Whiskered Catfish at Fish Story

[thebiggerthebetter]

ID thread on the PCF: https://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=52593

Pinirampus vs Exallodontus

1. Exallodontus adipose is a tiny bit taller and asymmetric and almost has a semi-sharp point closer to the dorsal while Pinirampus' adipose looks symmetric, low, without any defined points.
2. Exallodontus dorsal is a bit shorter vs. Pinirampus.
3. Pinirampus tail looks oversized vs the head size, which doesn't look like it for Exallodontus.
4. Pinirampus has faint spotted vertical lines on the body which are absent in Exallodontus.

AquaImport's fish and Rpul's fish match Pinirampus in these 4 traits.

Megalonema genus cats don't match the fish in question. For one their adipose fins are vastly different.

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Rpul's thread:

Pinirampus pirinampu Grow out.

I seem to have got very lucky the other day. as a shipment arrived in the uk via awell Known store. I was contacted about a possible Pinirampus pirinampu mixed in with a group of vulture catfish that arrived into the uk from Peru. Whilst very small fish. Around 1.5” long. It was hard to be sure...

www.monsterfishkeepers.com

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Our trio from Mike of Aqua Imports:

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Moved to a different tank because Africans bothered them and because they haven't fed in this tank.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

starting to feed on bw
establish pecking order

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

The rascals feed well now but fight so much. Had to move them back to their 1st tank to see if a bigger tank mitigates the intraspecific aggression.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

2 weeks ago Nov 12 2024: They have been inconsistent with feed. They pigged out a few times on fish pieces in all the time with us, then other times fed in moderation or little. Even though they are supposedly a schooling fish, they fight and enforce the dominance rather viciously, which doesnt help the appetite. All in all, not bad but could have been far better. Their body shape improved but not tremendously, as I hoped it would by now.

Today: The trio has been comfortable in our "minnow" 240 gal tank. Very lively, non stop swimmers, great appetite, zealous feeders for pellets, flakes and fish pieces, love-hate relationship - usually hang out not far from each other but don't like close proximity of each other. Put on great girth and a little length too.

Can see them in this video at the end where we show their tank last:

Mike of AquaImports: They seem like such active swimmers and aggressors towards each other that I'm sure they're burning off tons of calories.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

one month in, doing well

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Photos of a 13in specimen for sale: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/pinirampus-catfish.763463/

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

3in to 9in in 3 months

 

[Mitchell The Monster]

Ouh yes! The transformation is well under way! I love em! Yours are maturing nicely. Keep up the good work as usual!!!!

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

WilliamZenger
I would consider moving either the dominant one out or the two less dominant ones out. The headstanding of the two less dominant ones means they're stressed. My 2ft+ Flat-whiskered catfish has never engaged in headstanding even once in the few years I've had him. I got him when he was between 6-7 inches. BTW - they will eat barbs. Mine has eaten barbs between 6-7 inches in length. This will generally occur at night, so judging compatibility during the day isn't adequate.

Fish-Story
Thank you. Very helpful on the predation. How big was your catfish when it preyed on your 6-7inch barbs and what kinds of barb? I've been thinking about moving them indeed.... It looks like they swim vertically by their own choice. There is plenty of space in the tank for them to swim around or sit on the bottom away from the alpha catfish. They just don't do it. That's why I call it love hate. They do not want to be far away from each other. Also, I'd not call it headstanding because they swim head first against the current which is a normal and expected behavior for many catfish. The current flows from surface to bottom along the wall where they like to swim vertically with their heads up.

WilliamZenger
When around 2 ft, my Flat-whisker ate a 6-7 inch Jerdon's barb and a 7 inch Taiwanese Mahseer. I have a 7 inch Red Cheek Barb and a 6-7 inch Albino Tinfoil barb that he doesn't really bother. The "taller" the fish (Tinfoil), the better the chances of him not getting eaten. I've had a few catfish that immediately started headstanding when added to a tank. They never assumed a normal horizontal position, so I took them out (Bolt Catfish for instance). There are many catfish that don't really get along with their own kind. I, personally, would have only one of a species of catfish, instead of multiples where they have fin nippage. That has to stress them out.

Fish-Story
Cool, unique, interesting, and helpful info. Thank you! Agreed on the nipping and stress but so long no one sulks and feeds well, I'd think the stress is minimal and tolerable.