How many Raphael catfish should be kept together?
Unlike aggressive species of catfish, the spotted Raphael won't actively hunt the other members of the community, but they will opportunistically snack on smaller fish. You can keep a single catfish in your tank, but they prefer to be kept in groups of 3 to 5 and can be quite gregarious with each other at night.
How fast do Raphael catfish grow?
A: Striped Raphael catfish grow to reach between seven and nine inches in length. This fish species grows very slowly, only growing an inch or so every one to two years until reaching its full adult size.
Do Striped Raphael Catfish eat other fish?
Striped Raphael catfish is nocturnal and peaceful. However, it considers the small-sized fishes as its prey. Many aquarists report several reports about striped Raphael catfish hunting down small-sized fishes while they are sleeping at night.
How long do Spotted Raphael catfish live?
These fish are usually found in the Amazon river basin, across Bolivia, Peru, Columbia, and Brazil. They come with a prominent spotted look and are best kept in a group. These fish are too easy to take care of in a 35-gallon tank. They live for at least 15-20 years with proper care.
Will Raphael catfish eat shrimp?
0:182:50Striped Raphael Catfish Eating Shrimp Pellets (Platydoras armatulus)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe are looking at my striped Raphael catfish he doesn't come out very much during the day but thisMoreWe are looking at my striped Raphael catfish he doesn't come out very much during the day but this morning. I decided I was gonna try to entice him out by throwing a bunch of shrimp pellets in the
How big will a Raphael catfish get?
The striped Raphael catfish also has tiny and curved protective spines running along its body. The typically reported maximum standard length of this species is 20–24 cm (7.9–9.4 in).
How do you get Raphael catfish to come out?
5:298:15Striped Raphael Catfish Care - Rare Siting? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut maybe going with a smaller granular gravel super-awesome fish make sure your tank is filteredMoreBut maybe going with a smaller granular gravel super-awesome fish make sure your tank is filtered adequately.
Does Raphael catfish burrow?
Striped raphael catfish are a nocturnal fish but once settled in the aquarium will explore in the daylight hours. They do like to burrow so provide a substrate of very fine gravel or sand.
Are Raphael catfish poisonous?
Venomous: No - Although not venomous, the Striped Raphael Catfish is armed with a set of spines sharp enough to do damage to the aquarists hand.
What do you feed spotted catfish?
A well-balanced catfish diet consists of: Sinking pellets or flake foods.; freeze-dried tubifex worms. Brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and bloodworms (live, freeze-dried or frozen)
How much is a Raphael catfish?
Striped Raphael Catfish (Platydoras armatulus) - Aquatic Arts on sale today for $ 8.99.
Do Raphael catfish eat snails?
Do Striped Raphael Catfish Eat Snails? In their natural habitat, Striped Raphael Catfish often eat snails that they find in the substrate. In captivity, you can expect them to do much of the same thing. They are excellent at getting rid of snails if you have an infestation.
How long does it take for a catfish to grow full size?
about 18 months to two yearsHow long does it take to grow U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish? It takes about 18 months to two years to grow a 1-pound fish. How large is a full-grown U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish? A full-grown fish averages between 1 and 2 pounds.
How old do Raphael catfish get?
roughly 10 yearsLifespan. In captivity, the typical lifespan of Striped Raphael Catfish is known to be roughly 10 years. However, there's a lot of variables involved. Fish kept in pristine environments have been known to live to be 15 or more years!
How do you get Raphael catfish to come out?
5:298:15Striped Raphael Catfish Care - Rare Siting? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut maybe going with a smaller granular gravel super-awesome fish make sure your tank is filteredMoreBut maybe going with a smaller granular gravel super-awesome fish make sure your tank is filtered adequately.
Does Raphael catfish burrow?
Striped raphael catfish are a nocturnal fish but once settled in the aquarium will explore in the daylight hours. They do like to burrow so provide a substrate of very fine gravel or sand.
Species Summary
While there are several species of catfish that you can add to your freshwater aquarium, none are quite as interesting as the Striped Raphael Catfish ( Platydoras armatulus ). Also known as Chocolate Doradid, Thorny Catfish, and even Talking Catfish, these creatures have some very distinct characteristics.
Appearance
These bottom-dwelling fish have a very unique look. They have a torpedo-like shape. Their heads are large and wide, but their profile tapers off towards the tail.
Striped Raphael Catfish Size
When fully grown, the average Striped Raphael Catfish size is around 6 inches in length. However, they’re fully capable of getting much bigger than that when kept in a large tank.
Care
Thanks to their tough build and hardy nature, Striped Raphael Catfish care is not very challenging. These fish adapt well and aren’t particularly fussy with specific water requirements.
Striped Raphael Catfish Food & Diet
These catfish are omnivores that will eat whatever they can find. In the wild they’ll eat pretty much any mussels or crustaceans they encounter in the substrate, and will also snack on dead plant matter.
Behavior & Temperament
As we mentioned earlier, Striped Raphael Catfish are usually nocturnal. They’ll spend much of the day hiding in the darkness.
Tank Mates
Because they’re so large and sturdy, Striped Raphael Catfish can be kept with a wide range of tank mates. They do best with large peaceful fish though, because smaller critters will quickly become future snacks.
Striped raphael catfish Feeding
There are no difficult terms for feeding this kind of fish because it almost eats everything.
Striped raphael catfish Breeding and reproduction
This fish is famous for its difficult breeding in the home aquarium because it is nearly impossible to breed in captivity.
Striped raphael catfish Lifespan
The lifespan of this fish can normally reach 10 years, but you can also find that there are some types of this amazing fish, which can live for 15 and more
Striped raphael catfish common diseases
This fish is just like any other tropical fish, so it can suffer from some diseases too, although it is one of the most powerful fishes.
Striped raphael catfish care
You won’t find any difficulty in caring for this fish at all because of its tough build and hardy nature.
Habitat in the wild
The name of the kind — «Platydoras» origins from two Greek words: platys = wide, doras = skin, armor.
Description
In the wild grows to be up to 20 centimeters (7.9 in) long and sometimes even bigger species can be encountered. In a tank the average length of the adult is 15 cm (6 in). Lifespan is 15 years, some records state that it can be even 20.
Difficulties in keeping
This renowned fish species is often considered as a perfect one for beginner aquarists. It is enduring and it can do with various range of tank conditions.
Feeding
The fish is omnivorous and it’s easy to feed it. In the wild they feed on mussels, crustaceans and detritus. The fish is a bottom feeder, so it means that it eats everything it can find on a river on a tank bottom.
Tank mates
The fish is absolutely not aggressive, but it may treat small fishes as food, that’s why they actually aren’t suitable for a community tank.
Gender differences: male vs female
Only when you have enough of experience of keeping the fish, you’ll be able to see between the male and female. Usually the male is slimmer and brighter colored, than the female.
Breeding
Platydoras armatulus is still bred only by means of hormonal injections. Though there is some information about getting juveniles in home aquaria, but this was by an accident and it is the exception rather than the rule.
Species Summary
As you know already, there are many different species of catfish that are popular among aquarium owners.
Lifespan
On average, the Striped Raphael Catfish can live up to 10 years when they are kept in aquariums. However, their lifespan depends largely on the care and living conditions they receive. If ideal conditions are maintained, you may even see them live up to 15 years.
Appearance
The Striped Raphael Catfish have a unique appearance and a body shape that resembles a torpedo. Moreover, they have large and wide heads, but their body starts to get slimmer towards the tail. True to their name, they have stripes along the length of their body, which has a black or dark brown color.
Size
At their full size, Striped Raphael Catfish measure up to 6 inches in length. However, you can let them grow even bigger by providing them with a larger tank.
Striped Raphael Catfish
The Striped Raphael Catfish have a tough exterior, and they are quite hardy as well. This is why they are easier to care for. They also adapt well to different water conditions.
What Do Striped Raphael Catfish Eat?
Striped Raphael Catfish are natural omnivores, and they eat whatever they find in the wild. These include all kinds of crustaceans and mussels, as well as dead plant matter that lies within the substrate. In the tank, they like to feed on fish food and detritus.
Behavior & Temperament
Striped Raphael Catfish are nocturnal and spend most of the day resting and hiding in the darkness. When the sun sets, they become highly active and start scavenging for food in the substrate.
Species Summary
Appearance
Striped Raphael Catfish Size
- When fully grown, the average Striped Raphael Catfish size is around 6 inches in length.However, they’re fully capable of getting much bigger than that when kept in a large tank. Many aquarists have reported their fish getting to be anywhere between 7.9 and 9.4 inches long in good environments. Author Note:In the wild, they can allegedly get up to 17 inches long! However, tho…
Care
- Thanks to their tough build and hardy nature, Striped Raphael Catfish care is not very challenging. These fish adapt well and aren’t particularly fussy with specific water requirements. Even still, keeping these fish in a heavily monitored environment is paramount. Like any other freshwater fish, these catfish can get sick and respond negatively when kept in poor conditions. To ensure t…
Striped Raphael Catfish Food & Diet
- These catfish are omnivores that will eat whatever they can find. In the wild they’ll eat pretty much any mussels or crustaceans they encounter in the substrate, and will also snack on dead plant matter. In captivity, Striped Raphael Catfish will consume leftover fish food, detritus, and more. You must supplement their scavenging with sinking pelle...
Behavior & Temperament
- As we mentioned earlier, Striped Raphael Catfish are usually nocturnal. They’ll spend much of the day hiding in the darkness. However, once the lights go down, they’ll begin actively exploring the tank in search of food. Many owners actually report that nocturnal behavior goes away after a while. Some fish will come out of hiding and start spending more and more time exploring durin…
Tank Mates
- Because they’re so large and sturdy, Striped Raphael Catfish can be kept with a wide range of tank mates. They do best with large peaceful fish though, because smaller critters will quickly become future snacks. You can also keep them with aggressive species in many cases. Thanks to their large size and sharp fin rays, most aggressive fish won’t even bother attacking them. Here are s…
Breeding
- Breeding Striped Raphael Catfish is nearly impossible in captivity. Most of the fish being sold are wild-caught. Those that aren’t might have been bred through hormonal injection. There are currently no established methods for captive breeding. It’s thought that these fish release eggs into fast-moving rivers for fertilization, which may explain why breeding doesn’t occur in confine…
Give Them A Shot!
- Since Striped Raphael Catfish care is something that anyone can handle, we strongly encourage you to give this species a chance. We love them and know other aquarists who feel the same way. There’s something about watching them swim around that never gets old! If you have any questions or suggestions on how we can improve this guide for future readers, reach out to us o…