Raphael Catfish (talking Catfish)

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cheesy feet

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Common Name(s): Raphael catfish, Talking catfish, Striped catfish, Chocolate catfish.

Scientific Name: Platydorus Costatus

Family: Doradidae

Adult Size: Generally reach 6-10 inches. 1 of mine is at least 6 years old & is about 9 inches. Can reach up to 12" in very large aquariums.

Origin: South America, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil etc

Social: Peaceful with most most fish, has been known to swallow smaller fish at night.

Lifespan: 5 years atleast, Can live up to 30 years. A very long living catfish.

Aquarium level: Bottom dweller.They come out at night and explore, it's suprising how lively these fish are when you turn the lights off!.

Prefered aquarium conditions:Hardness: 2-20° dGH , Ph: 5.8 to 7.0 , Temp 26-28° C (76-82 F)

Minimum Tank Size: 4ft x 18" x 18" (55 gallons)

Diet: Almost anything, algae wafers, frozen bloodworm, glassworm, tablet and sinking pellet foods. These fish are pigs!

Breeding: Unknown?!

Care: Easy, these fish are incredibly hardy.

Sexing: Very hard to sex, Females are slightly plumper and larger.

Notes: IME these fish are much more timid in smaller tanks, put them in a large tank and they will occasionaly come out in the day for foods and eventually become pretty tame. In smaller aquariums they tend to hide ALL the time. If you have fry in the tank or fish under 1 inch their is a possibilty they will eat them in the night as a snack.These fish may 'bash' other catfish/plecos for a hiding space, damaging the other fish. Do not catch them in a net as they have spines on their fins which will stick in the net, once they are out of the water they will not withdraw them(defence mechanism).

Tips: If you are unsatisfied with your Platydorus costatus I would reccomend turning the lights of in the afternoon, so you can see the fish swimming and not just when you are cleaning out the tank. These fish can easily be overfed and become bloated, feed foods for them only twice a week, as they will pick up scraps from other fish.

BEWARE!: If you do try and pick one up do not put your fingers inbetween their pectoral (side) fins.They will clamp (with their spines) down of your fingers very hard and cut you! :crazy:
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This fish is actually Platydoras armatulus, as it has recently been established that the true Platydoras costatus is infact a very different fish which has a very limited distribution and has only very rarely seen in the aquarium trade.
Martin
 

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