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Similar looking to Oxydoras niger from the Amazon region but grows to a smaller adult size and has more of a grey body with black fins. Habitat: Occurs over mud in streams and lakes and forms schools. Diet: Feeds on detritus, chironomid and ephemeropteran larvae, and crustaceans. One of the main characteristics of the doradids is the presence of thorn like projections along the side of the body, which are known as scutes. These scutes are very sharp, so care should be taken when moving these fish. A real “Tank buster” if ever there was one. Aquarium Care: Quite a character obviously suited to large accommodation especially if keeping a number of fish together. Peaceful towards other fish and members of its own kind with doradids such as Agamyxis pectinifrons (Spotted Dora), Platydoras costatus (Striped Dora), Oscars and any other fish of a compatible size. Large pieces of bogwood and clean plastic drainpipe of suitable diameter for them to hide under. Ideally heater guards should be provided in order for the fish not to burn themselves. Etymology: The specific name sifontesi: In memory of Venezuelan meteorologist-hydrologist Ernesto Sifontes (1881–1959), who devoted much of his life to studying the Río Orinoco, where this catfish occurs.

Black Talking Catfish

Hildadoras orinocensis

Doradidae

South America: Orinoco River basin. Type locality: Laguna rebalsera “El Medio,” Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela.

70.0cm (28ins)

21-24°C (70-75°F)

6.0-7.8.

Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2011. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version.
The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database © Christopher Scharpf.