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his species, is the smaller of three from the same African genus of Anaspidoglanis Teugels, Risch, De Vos & Thys, 1991. The other two being Anaspidoglanis akiri (Risch 1987) and Anaspidoglanis boutchangai (Thys van den Audenaerde 1965). This species has now been put into a new genus, Notoglanidium, from the former Anaspidoglanis. The genera of the Auchenoglanididae were originally assigned to the spiny catfish (Bagridae, or to the subfamily Auchenoglaninae), later they were assigned to the Claroteidae as the subfamily Auchenoglanidinae. In the fourth edition of Fishes of the World, a standard work on fish systematics, they form an independent family. Common features of the family are the rounded to emarginate caudal fin and the position of the posterior nostrils on the sides of the upper lip. It contains the three genera Auchenoglanis, Parauchenoglanis and Notoglanidium.

Notoglanidium macrostoma

When aquarists, through the years, owned this species in their tanks it was always mooted as, Parauchenoglanis guttatus, but we now know that Parauchenoglanis macrostoma was probably the species as P. guttatus was very rarely imported and so our Factsheet of the Month started life as Auchenoglanis macrostoma and then Parauchenoglanis macrostoma and now to its present day name of Notoglanidium macrostoma, and of course on into a new family.

Notoglanidium macrostoma

Of course needless to say it needs a large tank to accommodate it and its larger tankmates and kept singularly. There is conflicting literature that states that they will do well in a group but the general consensus is that this is a loner that is best kept on its own. It is also a burrower in the substrate so plants may take a bit of abuse from its activities but all in all an interesting catfish for the larger community setup.

Dwarf Giraffe Catfish

Parauchenoglanis macrostoma, Auchenoglanis macrostoma, Parauchenoglanis ansorgei, Parauchenoglanis ansorgii, Anaspidoglanis macrostoma

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Africa: S. Cameroon, Gabon, and Congo River system. Type locality: Ngomo (Ogôoué) [Gabon].

24.0cm. (9ins)

23-27°C (73-81°F)

D 1/7; A 12, 9 branched. Body elongate, compressed of fairly uniform depth. Caudal fin truncated. 3 pairs of long barbels.

This African bagrid is a night time predator so tank mates would need to be at least over 3 ins (7cm) to escape its clutches. Tank mates could include the larger African Characins such as the Congo Tetras ( Phenacogrammus interruptus) and the larger American Characins such as from the Distichodus genera. Larger Barbs like the Tinfoil Barb (Barbus schwanefeldi) could be a good choice. Alternately, you could house one in a Cichlid Community as long as it is not a Rift Valley set-up as the higher p.H. may prove a bit too high over a long period of time. Try to keep less bottom dwellers with a Dwarf Giraffe Catfish as they are quite territorial and need their own hiding niche such as a rock/slate shelter so it can rest up during the day.

Will feed on almost anything including worm foods, frozen bloodworm, tablet and pellet food.

macrostoma: From the Greek makros, meaning long and stoma, meaning mouth; in reference to the size of the mouth.

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