Acanthodoras
cataphractus (Linnaeus, 1758)
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contributors to this species: |
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ScotCat
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Other
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Relevant Information: |
Dorsal spines (total): 1; Dorsal
soft rays (total): 5 - 5; Anal soft rays: 10 - 11. The body
is a little elongated, without scales, with one lateral range
of bony plaque. The head is large and flattened. Mouth terminal,
and has three pairs of barbels. Eyes are small. Abundant in
calm waters of swamps and mangroves. Omnivorous, feeds mainly
on organic wastes. Searches for food by digging in the sediment.
Active at night, lies hidden in the underwater roots and stocks
during the day. Every basic unit of the sound they emit when
they move their pectoral spine lasts 100-200 milliseconds with
a frequency of 170-250 Hertz. Aquarium Care:
Wherever possible it is recommend that the aquarist keep these
catfish in small groups of four to six specimens, assuming that
they are available in these numbers; failing this Acanthodoras
cataphractus are quite happy to shoal with other members
of the family Doradidae. In their natural habitat they would
be found in very large shoals. They are ideally suited to being
kept in a community aquarium environment with other medium to
large species of fish such as Bleeding Heart Tetras, Emperor
Tetras and other catfish. The main thing to remember is that
these catfish have quite a large mouth and are capable of eating
any fish small enough to fit inside. Diet:
As with all the other doradids, Acanthodoras cataphractus
is omnivorous and readily accepts a mixed and varied diet which
they search through the substrate for. Sinking catfish pellets,
good quality flake foods, granular foods, cultured whiteworm,
earthworms, aquatic snails which they relish and frozen foods
such as bloodworm. |
Common
Name: |
Spiny catfish |
Synonyms: |
Silurus cataphractus, Cataphractus
americanus, Doras blochii, D.brunnescens, D.castaneoventris,
Callichthys asper |
Family: |
Doradidae |
Distribution: |
South America:
Amazon River basin and coastal drainages of French Guiana, Guyana
and Surinam. |
Size: |
15cm. (6ins) |
Temp: |
22-26°C (71-79°F) |
p.H. |
6.0-7.5. |
Reference: |
ScotCat Factsheet
no. 140. Feb. 2008.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2009.FishBase.
World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version
(02/2010). |
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