Mystus bimaculatus?

[VickiK]

I forget he's even in my 50g, this guy. Like many catfish, I never see him out and about and even when I am trying to find him, he's MIA. When I got him six months ago, he was teeny (of course) and now he's a good 4" long (without the whiskers). If this is really who's in my tank, I think I'm committing some kind of catfish abuse. At PetSmart (I know) where I got him, they called him a Half Moon Catfish and made NO MENTION of the brackish water he's supposed to be living in. Should I be rehoming this guy? I have to say, mine is cuter than the one in this picture. He has a soft looking face - not all deer-in-the-headlights, like the guy in this pic from The Wet Spot.

 

[FishBeast]

Hi Vicki! If it is truly a Mystus Bimaculatus, it doesn't need brackish water. Who told you it needed brackish water? I do not trust PetSmart or Petco data cards... They put 20" as a Red Belly Pacu's maximum length

 

[FishBeast]

https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=332 - says here that max length is around 3.1" so you may have a different species or a mutant (even cooler). Do you think you could get a photo of your actual fish? May people here will be able to help

 

[VickiK]

https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=332 - says here that max length is around 3.1" so you may have a different species or a mutant (even cooler). Do you think you could get a photo of your actual fish? May people here will be able to help

Yes. I will endeavor to get one! I would love to know who this guy is and if I need to start shopping for that 125 gallon tank to keep him. lol

 

[FishBeast]

Yes. I will endeavor to get one! I would love to know who this guy is and if I need to start shopping for that 125 gallon tank to keep him. lol

As soon as you get a photo I will do my best to ID (and so will the rest of WAFishBoxers).

 

[VickiK]

As soon as you get a photo I will do my best to ID (and so will the rest of WAFishBoxers).

At this point, I think he's a MAGICAL CATFISH. He disappears at will!

 

[Renegade Aquatics]

Planet catfish lists their max lengths at SL (standard length) which measures to the base of the tail not the total length of the fish. So Vicki's fish is a normal adult, also if I recall correctly they are schooling fish.

 

[VickiK]

Planet catfish lists their max lengths at SL (standard length) which measures to the base of the tail not the total length of the fish. So Vicki's fish is a normal adult, also if I recall correctly they are schooling fish.

Yikes @ Schooling. Well, I guess I know who will be the first in the 125 if/when that ever happens; Mr. Magic and Friends.

@FishBeast - fed the tank and then sat still for a full half hour to try to get an action shot of Mr. Magic. Nothing. The minute I get up to feed the dogs, there he is. ha! I thought getting a CRS tank all dialed in was difficult....taking a pic of this guy is ridicules.

 

[FishBeast]

Planet catfish lists their max lengths at SL (standard length) which measures to the base of the tail not the total length of the fish. So Vicki's fish is a normal adult, also if I recall correctly they are schooling fish.

Good point!

 

[FishBeast]

Yikes @ Schooling. Well, I guess I know who will be the first in the 125 if/when that ever happens; Mr. Magic and Friends.

@FishBeast - fed the tank and then sat still for a full half hour to try to get an action shot of Mr. Magic. Nothing. The minute I get up to feed the dogs, there he is. ha! I thought getting a CRS tank all dialed in was difficult....taking a pic of this guy is ridicules.

Hahaha that behavior verifies that it is DEFINITELY a catfish!

 

[VickiK]

Finally! A horrible pic of the Magic Cat! Elusive as the dickens, I stalked this tank with my cellphone for over a week to get this shot -- and it's gawd-awful!

He's in the bottom left corner.

 

[FishBeast]

Finally! A horrible pic of the Magic Cat! Elusive as the dickens, I stalked this tank with my cellphone for over a week to get this shot -- and it's gawd-awful!

He's in the bottom left corner.

View attachment 3484

Hard to tell but looks like the real deal... Another possibility is Mystus bleekeri, which grows a bit bigger. At any rate, will definitely not need brackish water. Enjoy! Catfish are so cooooooooll!!!

 

[Renegade Aquatics]

Looks more like a Horabagrus brachysoma to me
grows about 12in. very nice cat, makes me miss mine

 

[VickiK]

Looks more like a Horabagrus brachysoma to me
grows about 12in. very nice cat, makes me miss mine

He looks like that guy too except my guy has a really bright WHITE stripe on the tail, next to the black stripe.

12 inches? Oh gosh. I hope not.

It was a dumb impulse buy - but he's a super cool looking fish. I don't regret bringing him home. He's living the good life at my house.

 

[FishBeast]

He looks like that guy too except my guy has a really bright WHITE stripe on the tail, next to the black stripe.

12 inches? Oh gosh. I hope not.

It was a dumb impulse buy - but he's a super cool looking fish. I don't regret bringing him home. He's living the good life at my house.

Another (possibly difficult or impossible to take) clear and near photo will remove all doubt hahaha

 

[Renegade Aquatics]

He looks like that guy too except my guy has a really bright WHITE stripe on the tail, next to the black stripe.

12 inches? Oh gosh. I hope not.

It was a dumb impulse buy - but he's a super cool looking fish. I don't regret bringing him home. He's living the good life at my house.

I got this from the the rounded anal fin which M. bimaculatus lack, but if you can another more detailed pic of the fish would help immensely.
but H. brachysoma has a similar marking near the fork where as M. bimaculatus has a more detailed mark at the base of tail itself rather then on it.

also notice the banding is reversed on H. brachysoma

 

[FishBeast]

I got this from the the rounded anal fin which M. bimaculatus lack, but if you can another more detailed pic of the fish would help immensely.
but H. brachysoma has a similar marking near the fork where as M. bimaculatus has a more detailed mark at the base of tail itself rather then on it.
View attachment 3507 View attachment 3508
also notice the banding is reversed on H. brachysoma

Great description of the difference!

 

[VickiK]

@Renegade Aquatics - Great points. And here I thought I was a BIRDER.... IDing Fish is way harder.

Seeing them side by side like that really helps. Big differences!

 

[Renegade Aquatics]

Well, I'm glad to help.
Another big difference I failed to note was the size of the adipose fin M. bimaculatus has a very large adipose that extends from near the base of dorsal to near the base of tail. Where as H. brachysoma have a relatively small adipose near the base of tail.

 

[VickiK]

Well, I'm glad to help.
Another big difference I failed to note was the size of the adipose fin M. bimaculatus has a very large adipose that extends from near the base of dorsal to near the base of tail. Where as H. brachysoma have a relatively small adipose near the base of tail.

I will endeavor to get a better photo. I may just have to haul him out of there and take a pic the old fashioned way; like a real fisherman.

Interesting though...this very morning, I sat there for a good 20 minutes after feeding time, watching the fish show in the 55, looking for Mr. Magic. At one point, I even got a flashlight and checked BEHIND the tank because I thought, "Could he have flipped himself out somehow?" I was genuinely worried. He FINALLLLLLLY made an ever-so-brief appearance. I was all relieved, of course.

It's funny how attached you can get to a fish.