Bumblebee Catfish (Microglanis Iheringi)

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Frank_Carr

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Jan 13, 2003
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Atlanta, GA, USA
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I have a South American bumblebee catfish (Microglanis Iheringi) in our 10 gallon community tank. This was a good example of buying a fish on looks without really understanding its behavior. I thought the fish looked neat, sort of the archetypical catfish look, as seen in this picture linked from planetcatfish...



I did check out the facts that it was peaceful and only grew to the 2"-3" range before purchase, but info on its behavior was scanty.

What I discovered was that this fish was very nocturnal and hid in rocky crevices most of the rest of the time. Therefore, we rarely see him. For a while, we could catch a glimpse of his tail as it hung out of his original hidey hole but he found another one that hid him entirely. If we flip on the light at night we can catch him out and he'll swim about rapidly in circles making his way back to his hole. Another time he'll move out of his hole is during water changes only at this time he's usually sitting still just outside the hole.

To feed him we'll drop in a few frozen bloodworms or shrimp pellets near his hole before lights out. Since he's grown slightly and seems to be in good health as best we can tell, we assume he's eating well.

Does anyone else have one of these interesting, yet rarely seen in your tank, catfish?
 

Sneak

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Jan 16, 2003
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Yea I also have one, mine is also a night dweller :( i hate it cause I cant see it oh well, its kinda funny though I will have all the lights of and then turn them on and it go's nuts it even chases my kribs out of their hiding hole... I feed mine shrimp pellets all over the tank and mine is nice and plump...I this fish scale less?

PEACE

Sneak
 

KI4WLG

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Jun 8, 2012
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North Carolina/South Carolina
I have one as well. They are scale-less. Definitely want to avoid plastic plants if possible as they can cut the skin sometimes. Mine loves hiding out in a burrow he's made in the gravel under a piece of driftwood. I'm going to try an experiment tonight with feeding and a red light. I cut out the lights last night and using the orange red eye reduction light on my camera could watch him out of his hidey hole. So I'm thinking that with a red colored light I'll be able to see him clearly without him getting scared by the light.
 

Redtail Monster

Michigan
Nov 25, 2012
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Manchester, MI
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I have a 10g with a Clown, Rubberlip, BN, LongFin BN Albino, BN, and HighFin Spotted Plecos. All around 1" in length, and there "substrate" is just flat rocks layed up a couple layers. They are rarely out, but it makes for a nice surprise when we do see one out!
 

jbradt

this is bat country
May 9, 2008
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outback, NY
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I had one for years. I called him Elvis because I'd only occasionally get a little sighting of him. He was one of the first fish I got and one of the last I got rid of when I broke down my tanks. He survived endless newb mistakes, tank changes, etc. Awesome little fish. The fact that I didn't get to see him much made it that much cooler when I did.
 

AquaticAustin

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Sep 29, 2011
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Orlando, Fl (UCF)
I have one, same deal never see it. I forgot I had him till I saw the post title lol

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