Do hoplo catfish eat other fish?

What is the scientific name of the Brown hoplo catfish?

Common names/s: Brown hoplo, hoplo catfish Scientific name: Megalechis thorcata formerly known as Hoplosternum thoracatum Family: Callichthyidae Origin: Widespread throughout the Amazon basin Care: A very easy fish to care for, the species is neither fussy of water conditions, tankmates or food, tolerates temperatures from 18 to 28 celcius.

What is hoplo catfish (Megalechis thoracatais)?

Hoplo Catfish ( Megalechis thoracatais ) one of the most popular decorative catfish. In our article we will consider the main features of the content of these tireless helpers. Hoplo Catfish (Megalechis thoracata) is a freshwater fish from the Callichthyidae catfish family.

What do hopolo catfish eat?

Feed the fry baby brine shrimp or crushed pellets until they are able to eat adult foods. Hopolo Catfish are easy to feed. In the wild, they eat insects, insect larvae, and detritus. In an aquarium environment they will accept live, freeze dried and frozen foods, most types of sinking pellets, and uneaten flake foods.

How did the hoplo catfish get its name?

Hoplo catfish got its name since, in the beginning, it was considered to belong to the Hoplosternum genus. Its specific name Hoplosternum thoracatum, was valid up to the end of 1997 when after regular revision performed by Roberto Reis, he divided the Hoplosternum genus into three standalone genera, and the species were redistributed between them.

What is the biotope of the hoplo catfish?

The biotope characteristic of the Hoplo Catfish is a small freshwater stream or backwater with a weak current, densely overgrown with vegetation. Hoplo Catfish are able to survive a short drought, buried in silt to a depth of 25 cm.

What kind of fish is hoplo catfish?

Hoplo catfish (Megalechis thoracata) is a freshwater aquarium fish from the Callichthyidae family (armored catfishes). This is an undemanding and peaceful (which is a rare case among catfish), good-looking fish. Black hoplo catfish is one of the most popular aquarium catfish species.

What does a hoplo catfish look like?

Wild spotted hoplo catfish grow up to 16 cm long, while in a tank, their size may seldom reach 20 cm. It has an oblongated body, and a bit flattened from sides and a rather wide head with two pairs of barbs on its upper jaw and one on the under-jaw. Its back is a bit updrawn, and the abdomen is flat.

Why do hoplo catfish have intestines?

They are necessary to Hoplo Catfish to protect against enemies. Catfish tend to have intestinal breathing: in conditions of lack of oxygen, Hoplo Catfish float to the surface and take a “breath” of air above the surface of the water, which is then absorbed in a special section of the intestine.

How to care for a Spotted Hoplo catfish?

For a couple of spotted hoplo catfishes, a tank with a large bottom square is recommended, up to 200 liters capacity, thickly planted, many shelters, where the fish can hide during the daytime. The tank should be covered from the top since the fish, when getting to the water surface to gasp some air, sometimes jump out of the water.

Can hoplo catfish live with neon tetras?

Hoplo Catfish are excellent bottom-dwellers for larger tanks with medium-sized tankmates. Because they attain quite a size, they must not be kept with small fish of Neon Tetra proportions as these will be eaten overnight when the Hoplo is at its most active. This species is best maintained in groups of 5 or more.

Can discus and hoplo catfish live together?

Hoplo catfish (like their cory cousins) breathe air. This means you can keep them in warmer (low oxygen levels) water with warm water fish like discus and uarus. However, serious discus breeders will not mix other fish with their discus. Temperature. But you don’t have to hot up your hoplos.

What is a hopolo catfish?

Tropical fish keeping enthusiasts commonly defer to Hopolo catfish or Brown Hopolo as the most commonly used name in fish shops. Hopolo Catfish are colored dark brown to dun with an almost black back and a whitish belly.

What do hoplos like to eat?

Feed your new hoplos whatever the rest of your fish are chowing on: flakes, pellets, wafers, food sticks, frozen, freeze-dried, or live foods. Maybe feed a little of each. They eat them all with relish. Still, they never seem to put on excess weight. Like most catfishes, they prefer to munch at the night shift cafeteria.

How did the sunfish get its name?

The sunfish is so named because it has a round shape like the sun. That catfish got its name because of its large, glaring eyes. Is there any question as to how the flying fish got its name?

How did the Swordfish get its name?

It gets its name from the Latin words porcus piscex, which means “hog-fish”. The swordfish is an easy one. The upper jaw of this fish really looks like a sword. The whale is simply the modern spelling of an Anglo-Saxon word whale. The sunfish is so named because it has a round shape like the sun.

What is the origin of the title Catfish?

The title Catfish was coined after something Angela’s husband Vince said. He was talking of how cod fish were shipped from Alaska to China, stored in vats on the ship.

How do hoplo catfish breathe?

Catfish tend to have intestinal breathing: in conditions of lack of oxygen, Hoplo Catfish float to the surface and take a “breath” of air above the surface of the water, which is then absorbed in a special section of the intestine.

What are the characteristics of the hoplo catfish?

The body of the Hoplo Catfish is elongated, smooth. The side is covered with two rows of bone plates that converge in the middle of the body. The usual size of the fish is about 12 cm. The head is flattened, powerful. The mouth opening is directed downward.

What kind of fish can I put with my hoplo catfish?

Good cohabitants for the Hoplo Catfish will be angelfish, barbs, tetra, Rainbowfish, large live-bearers, small cichlids. It is not recommended to combine with other Demersal fish, for example, bocia – conflicts may arise over the territory.

Why do people like catfish so much?

They’re energetic and attention-grabbing to look at as soon as comfy, swimming at unusual angles (the upside-down catfish could also be the most effective recognized for these habits).

What is the function of the esophagus in fish?

Once reaching the throat, food enters a short, often greatly distensible esophagus, a simple tube with a muscular wall leading into a stomach. The stomach varies greatly in fishes, depending upon the diet. In most predacious fishes it is a simple straight or curved tube or pouch with a muscular wall and a glandular lining.

What is the valve between the stomach and intestines in fish?

The valve between the fish’s stomach and the intestines is called the pyloric valve. At the hind end of the stomach – before or just at the beginning of the intestines – many fish have some thin, blind tubes called Pyloric Caeca.

What is the function of the fish intestine?

The fish intestine is a long, thin tube with a thin, double layer musculature; the outer layer being longitudinal and the inner layer being circular. It is the site of the final digestion and absorption of the food a fish eats. In the sharks, rays and many piscivorous bony fish the intestine is little longer than the distance to the anus.

How do I care for a hoplo catfish?

Aquarium filters which have been highly recommended by customers in your area can be found here. The hoplo is not a particularly shy catfish but will still appreciate some cover in the form of rocks, plants and bogwood. Water flow should be slow or still, although the fish will adapt to stronger conditions.

What is a hoplo catfish?

The name of the genus can be translated from ancient Greek as “giant snake fish.” Here, the almost cylindrical shape of the Hoplo Catfish body and a considerable size (about 15 cm) were reflected. Like other armored catfish, the body of the fish is covered with several rows of bone plates.

What do hoplo catfish like to do?

Like most catfishes, your hoplo catfish will explore all the nooks and crannies in your aquarium. However, much like cories, your hoplo catfish will often come front and center and loaf in plain sight. They are not hiders and couldn’t care less how you decorate your tank. If you provide caves, they will explore them.