Males of all dolphin catfishes (Ageneiosus) develop huge dorsal fin spines and a penis-like mating organ at spawning time, also strange tooth-like looking papillae on the posterior margin of the upper jaw. They use the dorsal fin spine to clamp females for mating, and fertilization occurs internally. After spawning, the dorsal fin spine is shed again, like deer antlers after the rut, and the mating organ regresses so that males and females can no longer be distinguished externally.
Unfortunately, the relatively small remaining (under 10 cm) dolphin catfishes are rather inconspicuous in color. We could import now from Venezuela splendid, sexually active A. magoi. The fish are currently about 15 cm long. The maximum length given in the literature for A. magoi is 18-20 cm. Thus A. magoi is surely the most interesting dolphin catfish for aquaristics: highly attractive colored and comparatively small.
For our customers: the animals have code 203353 on our stocklist. Please note that we supply exclusively to wholesalers. Only available in small numbers.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
