From two different suppliers, one from Peru and one from Colombia, we have received a catfish of the genus Batrochoglanis, whose identification to species level is not possible according to the publications to date.
Representatives of the genus Batrochoglanis are not difficult to recognize as such; typical of the genus is the shape of the caudal fin, which of course can only be seen clearly in uninjured specimens. The coloration of the caudal fin is mentioned in scientific publications as an important identification feature. The caudal fin of the imported fish in question, which we often referred to as B. villosus in the past due to the state of knowledge at the time, is spotted – this does not match any of the accepted species. On the webpage of the catfish enthusiasts – PlanetCatfish – our catfish is therefore consistently referred to as Batrochoglanis sp. I (there are other indeterminable species).
Apparently this species – similar to B. villosus – grows to a length of 15-20 cm. These fish are not really aggressive, but will bite anything that swims in front of their wide mouths and try to eat it. This leads to superficial skin wounds due to the cushion-like teeth plates, which act like coarse sandpaper, but these usually heal quickly and without complications. Our larger animals are 9 – 12 cm long (approx. 9 cm without, approx. 12 cm with caudal fin) and males and females can be identified on the basis of their body shape. However, when attempting to determine the sex of these animals, care must be taken to ensure that an abundant meal of a male does not simulate the round belly of a female.
The small animals from Peru are only 5-6 cm long.
For our customers: the animals have code 209962 (5-6 cm) and 209964 (9-12 cm) on our stock list. Please note that we only supply the wholesale trade.
Text & photos: Frank Schäfer
