Bunocephalus
coracoideus
Kner, 1855 |
| |
| Image
contributors to this species: |
| Klaus
Dreymann (1) Johnny
Jensen's Photographic Library
(2) Charles Gibbons (1) Graeme Robson
(3) |
| ScotCat
Sources: |
 
|
| Other
Sources: |
 
 |
| |
| Relevant
Information: |
Aquarium
Care: The Banjo Cat is a rugged looking
individual with its lumps and bumps and can not be classed as pretty
in the sense of the word, but has a charm all of its own in the
catfish world. Its head is very broad and flat with very small eyes,
3 pairs of barbels with the maxillary's reaching to about a third
of the length of the strong serrated pectoral spine. A sand substrate
is best where they can bury themselves for the best part of the
daylight hours and only appear at night where they can be seen scurrying
across the bottom looking for food. They can propel themselves through
the water by taking water into their mouths and then propelling
it out of their gills thus causing a burst of speed across the substrate.
Breeding: This is one of the few Banjo's that have
been spawned in captivity. The eggs which can boast a total of 4,000
are laid in the sand and would probably be better served if they
are removed to a smaller tank or container, and when hatched will
need to be fed very fine first foods such as brine shrimp and micro
worm, after they have used up their yolk sac. They can then be weaned
onto small worm foods such as grindel worm and tubifex. Diet:
Adults when settled in their tank are not fussy feeders and can
be fed a healthy diet of worm foods such as frozen bloodworm and
tubifex and also tablet food at lights out. |
| Common
Name: |
Banjo Cat |
| Synonyms: |
Bunocephalus
bicolor, Dysichthys bicolor, Dysichthys coracoideus, Bunocephalus
haggini |
| Family: |
Aspredinidaemblycipitidae |
| Distribution: |
South
America: Amazon River basin of Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
Type locality: Nauta, Peru. |
| Size:
|
13.0cm.
(5ins) |
| Temp: |
22-26°c
(70-79°f.) |
| p.H. |
6.0 -8.0. |
| Reference: |
ScotCat
Factsheet no. 87. Sept. 2003. |
