Aquarium Care:
relatively peaceful but will eat smaller fish when larger. Provide
floating plants for seclusion as this is a nocturnal species. Provide
caves/pipes for hiding out during the daylight hours. Sexual
Differences: as with all of this family internal fertilization
is carried out. The anal fin is the key to the sexual dimorphism
of this genus, if you think of the male and female of most livebearer
fish (Goodeidae family) and you will not be too far away
with this assumption. The female has a normal anal fin but the males
are modified into a copulatory organ with the first and second ray
thickened and longer, it is thought that the male uses this to clasp
the female during the spawning embrace. The eggs are laid on
a previously cleaned surface.
Common
Name:
Striped
Woodcat
Synonyms:
Trachelyopterus
taeniatus
Family:
Auchenipteridaeblycipitidae
Distribution:
South
America: Upper Amazon River basin. Type locality:
Rio Guaporé, Brazil.
Size:
18.0cm.
(7¼ins)
Temp:
20-25°c
(67-77°f.)
p.H.
6.0-7.2.
Reference:
Baensch, H.A. and
R. Riehl 1985 Aquarien atlas. Band 2. Mergus, Verlag für
Natur- und Heimtierkunde GmbH, Melle, Germany. 1216 p. ScotCat Factsheet: No. 48. June 2000.
