SCOTCAT.COM  

Allan James  (3) Adrian Taylor (2) Beta Mahatvaraj (3) Johnny Jensen's Photographic Library (4)

Description: Body short, compressed, abdomen rounded. Head small, compressed. Snout obtusely rounded. Mouth subterminal, moderately wide. Eyes large, inferior (visible from below  ventral surface of the head). Jaws subequal. Lips thin, plain, may be fimbriated or with sensory pores. Teeth on jaws and palate in broad villiform bands. Four pairs of barbels; one each of maxillary, nasal and two of mandibular, all slender, shorter than head, may  be coloured. Caudal fin forked, lobes equal. Lateral line complete, with a few pores above pectoral fin base. Sexual Diferences: Females are heavier looking and the males are more slender and have an elongate genital papilla in front of the anus. Aquarium Care: This  is not the easiest species to keep in the aquarium and can prove delicate. Good water quality  is a must to be able to enjoy this small Bagrid to the full. Tank decorations would be a planted aquarium with hiding places to make it feel more comfortable in its surroundings. Will be happier if you can keep them in groups of at least four as they will do better in their own company. Etymology: The genus name Rama: named after the legendary Indian king regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu. The specific name chandramara: Hindi, Chandragupta Maurya, a king fron northern India, founder of Maurya empire, 322-298. Remarks: This species can be found on online searches, as Chandramara chandramara or Rama rama, but Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes has Rama chandramara as valid (2023).

Hummingbird Catfish, Asian Cory

Pimelodus chandramara, Rama rama, Pimelodus rama, Leiocassis rama, Chandramara chandramara

Bagridae

Asia: Base of eastern part of Himalaya, and Sarda River basin. Type locality: Atreyi River, India.

5.5cm. (2¼ins)

18-22°C (63-71°F)

6.5-7.2.

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Ng, H. H., The identity of Batasio tengana (Hamilton, 1822), with the description of two new species of Batasio from north-eastern India (Teleostei: Bagridae).
ScotCat Factsheet no. 136. October 2007.