Platydoras
armatulus (Valenciennes, 1840)
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| Image
contributors to this species: |
| Danny
Blundell (1) Allan
James (4) TotalFishkeeping
(2) DeLane (1) Peru
Aquarium Group
(1) Graham
Layley (1) |
| ScotCat
Sources: |
 
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| Other
Sources: |
  
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| Relevant
Information: |
This Dorad has been known
in the hobby for many years as Platydoras costatus but
we now know that this species has never, or very rarely been exported
and as such the species that we thought was P.costatus
is actually Platydoras armatulus. P.costatus
originates from the coastal drainages of Suriname and French Guiana
(i.e., Corantijn, Suriname, Maroni) and lacks a distinct light
stripe on the head and sides. There are four recognised species
of Platydoras: P. armatulus (Paraguay-Paraná
and portions of Amazon and Orinoco basins), P. costatus
(Corantijn and Maroni basins), P. brachylecis (Rio Mearim,
rio Pindaré, rio Itapecuru and rio Parnaíba basins
in northeastern Brazil) and P. hancockii (Negro, Essequibo,
Demerara, and upper Orinoco basins). In
common with most of the Doradidae family it can create a sound
by grating its fin bones in each socket and amplifying the noise
via the swim bladder which is one reason why it got its common
name of the “Chocolate Talking Catfish”. Aquarium
Care: This is a fairly easy catfish to keep as long as
you can provide it with shelter such as pipes or cave work. It
will even jam itself into the pipe with its pectoral spines and
will be unremovable. Diet: Easy to feed on frozen
food such as bloodworm, tablet and pellet foods. In youngsters
it is better to feed at night after lights out, the older they
get they will get bolder and come out at feeding time. |
| Common
Name: |
Raphael Catfish,
Chocolate Talking Catfish, Humbug Cat |
| Synonyms: |
Doras armatulus |
| Family: |
Doradidae blycipitidae |
| Distribution: |
South America: Paraná
River basin. Type locality: Brazil, le Parana,
mais non au-dessous du 27º30' de latitude sud. |
| Size:
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20cm.
(8ins) |
| Temp: |
24-30°C
(75-87°F) |
| p.H. |
6.0-7.5. |
| Reference: |
Piorski, N.M.,
J.C. Garavello, M. Arce & M.H. Sabaj Pérez
(2008): Platydoras brachylecis, a new species of thorny catfish
(Siluriformes: Doradidae) from northeastern Brazil. Neotropical
Ichthyology 6 (3): 481-494.
ScotCat Factsheet no. 073.
July 2002.
Ferraris, C.J. Jr., 2007. Checklist of catfishes,
recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue
of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628.
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Family:
Doradidae
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| Click
on thumbnails |
Platydoras armatulus
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 Platydoras
armatulus
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 Platydoras
armatulus
Pectoral Spine
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 Platydoras
armatulus
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 Platydoras
armatulus
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 Platydoras
armatulus
Head View
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 Platydoras
armatulus
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 Platydoras
armatulus
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 Platydoras
armatulus
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 Platydoras
armatulus
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