Microglanis iheringi
Gomes, 1946
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e are back to the South American sub-continent for this months
factsheet (April 2004) with a first from us on a member of the
Pseudopimelodidae family. The sub-family of Pimelodidae,
Pseudopimelodinae, is now considered a full family status of Pseudopimelodidae
and is of course closely related to the Pimelodidae family and
mostly contains the smaller pims, such as the South American Bumblebee
and dwarf marbled catfishes.
Its common name of the Bumblebee Catfish can be misleading as
there is another catfish, from Asia, Pseudomystus
siamensis, that also carries this name and this is probably
the fish that we know mostly as "The Bumblebee Catfish".
P. siamensis has a different body pattern, shape, and
possess's an extra pair of barbels. That is why we mostly refer
to them as the South American and Asian Bumblebee Cats.
There can be confusion between another three species of the
same genera, Microglanis poecilus, M. secundus
and M. parahybae. There are diferences in colour patterns,
especially on the caudal peduncle and caudal fin areas.
M. poecilus |
M. iheringi |
M. parahybae |
M. secundus |
The line drawings may help you to identify your Microglanis
but being able to see your species in your tank to do this is
another matter entirely as they are very secretive as you can
go months without spotting them, unless you can view them with
the lights out at night when they come out for their forays.
To sum up, a very nice looking pim, while being very nocturnal,
but being able to see them on the odd occasion makes up for
the weeks that you thought you had lost it, and so a nice addition
to a medium sized community tank.
Dorsal fin rounded, Caudal fin truncate.
Adipose fin well developed. Maxillary barbels reaching past the
origins of the pectoral spines. lateral line well developed (tubular
with pores) Head flattened.
Dark brown markings on a light brown background. The area of dark
brown colour on the caudal peduncle is more or less square. Dorsal
fin mainly dark brown with a pale tip, Slightly mottled with brown
and with a large triangular pale patch based on the last two rays.
The caudal fin has a broad dark brown cross band.
Microglanis iheringi is one of twenty six, small to medium
sized pims, found in this family, and as such is a good addition
to the medium sized community tank, and will not harm the occupants
unless they are small enough to fit into its mouth such as newly
born fry and young fish. If you keep livebearers such as Guppies
and Platies in with them you will very rarely be overrun with
fry as the Bumblebee Catfish will promptly finish them off on
its night time prowls. Hiding places such as rockwork, plants
and or wood will benefit this species and help, along with regular
water changes, to keep this "Bumblebee Catfish" happy
in its surroundings.
| Sexing |
Males are slimmer than females.
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| Breeding |
Two reports from English aquarists. First Des Penny published
in the magazine of the Catfish Association of Great Britain stating
that the water parameters ranged from 4.8-6pH and temperature
values between 22°c and 25.5°c.
He fed a regime of shredded cod, coley, prawns, mussels, cockles
and oxheart, plus feedings of live Daphnia, bloodworm and river
shrimp. He found fry by accident one day when he was feeding his
fish, a total count of 40 at about 12mm in size which were perfect
replicas of the parents. There is no report of how they spawned
but Des puts it down to either three things that went on in the
tank previously, a drop in temperature then it quickly warming
up, his Characins spawning at the same time or it could have been
the very varied diet that he was undertaking.
Next article from Paul Barrow appeared in the Tropical Fish Hobbyist
in 1997 and he witnessed the spawning with them dashing around
the tank with the male wrapping itself around the females head
(It must be noted here that the females get quite rotund and helps
to differentiate males from females). Paul actually put them back
into the new tank after fitting a new under gravel system prier
to them spawning, so with 50% new water this would go a long way
to facilitating their actions. His water parameters were: Temp:
72°f rising to 75°f over a 12 week period with the p.H.
never dropping below 6.5. He took the eggs out of the tank to
a smaller tank but they all fungused and unfortunately he did
not get any offspring.
Can be fed a varied diet of tablet food, pellets, worm foods and
frozen food such as bloodworm and as seen above in the breeding
report.
| Etymology |
Microglanis: Micro
= small; glanis = catfish.
iheringi:
In honour of Rudolpho von Ihering.
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| Glossary
of Terms: |
Maxillary barbels
: Pertaining to the
upper jaw. (maxillary barbels)
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| Reference |
Catfish Association of Great Britain,
Magazine 69-1/91, p63-64.
Sands, David;
Catfishes of the World Vol.3 Auchenipteridae & Pimelodidae.
Barrow, Paul; Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Sep.1997,
p82-91
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| Photo
Credits |
Top picture: Jim Makin.
Line Drawings: Catfish Association of Great Britain,
Magazine 69-1/91.
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