Talking Catfish

[sarahbellum]

Don't get mad. He doesn't live in there. He was only in there for a water change and I decided it would be a good chance to get some pictures because we NEVER see him! Isn't he pretty?

[coheedrules]

Why do you remove him for a water change???

[sarahbellum]

Well we try to only do 50% water changes (at the most) and as soon as we start vacuuming the gravel, he flips out, no matter how much water is in there, or where he's hiding, he comes out like a bullet and flies around the tank splashing the water and upsetting the other fish... so its easier to pull him out and let him be calm in the "holding" tank for 15 minutes, then to stress all of our other fish.

[oliesminis]

strange behavior for a fish during a water change, nice clear photo though

[Buggy]

Naw, thats pretty typical for a Raphael. They can't stand to have their hidey-holes disturbed. Mine lives in a rock cave most of the time but if I ever move it, even a couple of inches, he freaks out and goes to find a new hiding place. When I have to completely dismantle the tank decore, he goes ballistic.
Sarah, does he have a nice dark deep cave to hide in? If he has a place to stay away from the w/c activity he won't stress out and you can leave him in there. They don't like light so they are happiest with a place that is as dark as possible.
The only time I ever see mine out and about is late at night after all tank and room lights have been off for a few hours. Then he will come out to scavenge for food and play a while.
How big is he btw?

[sarahbellum]

He has a nice hollow log to hide in. We just pull him out when we have to vacuum the gravel cause we move everything around. He's about... 6-7". He came out of my mother in law's tank because her pleco's were disappearing and he was the only one with a mouth big enough to do anything. So he now lives with our cichlids and doesn't bother much unless you disturb him.

[trashion]

What a cool fish! When I worked at Petc0, we had a few in once, but they were teeny (1" max) and just hid all the time. They didn't even come out to eat, I had to poke them with a net from time to time to make sure they were still alive :\

[sarahbellum]

Yeah, he was about an 1" long when my bf's mom bought him. (I call it a "him" but I have no idea really.) He's eaten well. She kept buying tiny little pleco's and they would just disappear. She probably went thru 4 or 5 of them before she even thought that it might be the catfish. And now that he's out of her tank, she hasn't lost one fish. Amazing, eh? lol

[Buggy]

Mine likes a cave with a completely enclosed back and only one way in or out. If I move the cave and leave an opening in the back he will abandon the cave and steal the kribs flowerpot. lol
Try blocking off one end of the log and see if he feels more secure that way.
And be careful pulling him out. He will use his spiney fins to hang onto the sides of the log and can be hurt by pulling on him. Not to mention the hurt he can put on you if he gets those spines in you!
Have you heard him "talking" yet?

[sarahbellum]

Yeah, he talks all the time. He makes a noise like a bumble bee in your ear when he's out of the water. He also grunts and squeaks a lot. Just randomly with those though. Its kinda cool. Haven't been bitten by the fins yet... I'm waiting though. I'm always ready for it.

[fishbguy]

the ones at the lfs I work at love their hidy holes....I can pull them completely out of the water, put them back in, pull them out, put them back, then pull them out again before they decide to move...lol

[Buggy]

I've only heard mine talk a couple of times but then i don't take him out of the water and it's kinda hard to hear anything from the bottom of a 55 gallon tank. lol
The sounds are made from rubbing the boney plates together.

[sarahbellum]

Thats good to know. Ours is in an 80 gallon, but when he squeaks you can hear him... I always wondered how they made noise... good to know.

[mvm2691]

i just got a used tank and in transporting it i obviously removed all the water and fish. after about 45 minutes of no water in the tank (substrate and rocks were still in there) i filled the tank back up and apparently i have 2 of these guys. I had no idea i had them and neither did the owner that gave me the tank. They were swimming around and it freaked me out. they had survived 45 minutes with no water.

[Elindra]

Nice Striped Raphael you have there. I have 2 spotted ones.

Here's one of them