Ageneiosus marmoratus info wanted

[Steve GT]

Well firstly thanks for helping identify this for me first was a big help

Just wondered if anyone could give me a bit of info on these as theres not much known on them it seems. I see a few people on here have owned them so can some one tell me a bit about them. Rg best thing to feed them any thing they might need etc. I'm pretty sure it doesnt like light as whenever I turn the lights on it stops dead on the floor and won't move for ages. Is this normal for them? It also likes to tangle itself in plants all the time. Again is this normal?

Thanks in advance

[wrasse]

I have 5 Ageneiosus that happily live together, 82degC, PH6.5, constantly on the move.

Your A Marmoratus needs some mates, ideally. Not easy to find I realise. Also needs a big tank, neutral water conditions, a varied diet. Its a big fish you have, so you might find it sulks at first and takes a while to adjust, dim the lighting

[Steve GT]

When you say needs more mates do you mean other of its type or just other catfishes in general?

[sidguppy]

no, not just catfish.
speciesmembers.
the same kind of catfish......

it's a nocturnal hunter; by far the best way to get Ageneiosus started is to add harmless feeders.
during the dark, the Ageneiosus will hunt them.

getting large Ageneiosus on dead food takes time; this is not a fish that you can "starve until it eats flake" at all.

getting it to eat is important, once is does and gets fat and healthy, you can try unfrozen food, earthworms and the like; but remember that ALL Ageneiosus need live fih from time to time if you want them to thrive.

even the smaller ones that accept bloodworms do much better if you add tiny feeders now and then. it's a world of difference.

in the wild these are specialized piscivores.

getting tangled up in plants, lying bellydown or even sideways (!) on the sand, hiding under roots and being torpid during the day is all normal behavior!
dont disturb it when it does so. it'll stress the fish
once stressed it can refuse food until it's dead.....or it can develop a whole ranghe of nasty diseases.

a peaceful quiet tank, plenty oxygen and current, roots and live plants, sand as substrate, some small harmless feeders, clean water and a few others of its kind is the way to deal with these beauties.

[Steve GT]

Thanks so much you've been a massive help

They told me none of this in the fish shop and I tried to research h
It but there's not much info on them so this has helped so much

What would you suggest feeding it on then specifically so I can go out and get the best thing for him. When my new tanks set up it will be put in there. I'm going to get a load of live plants for him now and try get some more of its kind to go in with him. Such a beautiful fish I'm going to do all I can to keep him happy just need pointing in the right direction

Thanks again matey

[Martin S]

Steve
Did the LFS have it feeding? Like sidguppy says, these are nocturnal hunters, and so will need to find food when the lights are off and they can cruise the tank. Try some floating plants to block some of the light, and add lots of large leaved (amazon swords/echinodoras sp) around the tank. The problem with live food is the possibility of introducing parasites/disease, which is why sid said 'clean' feeders - this means you really need to have a supply of your own that you know are disease free. for the moment, what about live river shrimp (which the other fish will relish too), large earthworms (again, you may struggle to get these to be eaten with fish like the oscar as tankmates) and as I mentioned elsewhere, you could also try mascivore pellets, but feed sparingly.
I'd say the sooner your new tank is up and running (and cycled) the better - i'd suggest you think about what you plan to move over into it, as with a gluttonous fish like the oscar, you may have problems with the catfish being out-competed for food, and ultimately slowly starving to death.
I have sen these for sale a few times - I'd suggest trying Wildwoods first, as they have had these for sale, and they also deliver if you are not local.
Hope this helps
Martin

[Steve GT]

LFS had it in a bare tank bright lights etc poor thing especially as he's pretty nocturnal.and think they fed him bloodworm

Came to a decision that the Oscar shark etc will be staying in there current tank when the new ones set up with there fake plants as the oscar will destroy any plant it comes across. So new much bigger and deeper tank will have lots of plants and lots of places to hide for him.

So best food for now is Live river shrimp and earthworms. Best start looking for suppliers lol

[wrasse]

Good luck with this fish Steve, its a cracking specimen you have!
I hope you can find others of its kind. Then you will see more natural behaviour.
Take a look at the first spine of the anal fin... is it a male or a female?

[Marc van Arc]

Indeed a brilliant species. Too bad there's uncertainty about the size (PC 30 cms/FB 18 cms), because there's a shop in NL that still has 2 specimens in stock.
I promised the owner to visit him one day (he's very interested in my H. melini), but I try to postpone the visit until the Ageneiosus have been sold. Otherwise I'm pretty sure I'll take them back with me, which is probably not the best idea considering my current stock.... But it is so tempting!!

Btw: mind you, these fish have a huge appetite.

[Steve GT]

So..... when buying companions for him do i have to buy specifially the marmoratus or just Ageneiosus in general? cause to be honest iv been looking at a few places online and bot many people have one in lol

[Marc van Arc]

Specifically marmoratus or maybe another larger species like

Ageneiosus magoi

.

Species like A. cf. atronasus will most likely end up as dinner; that's why I have so many doubts wrt buying the above mentioned A. marmoratus.
Buying those would imply that I have to put the atronasus - and probably other fishes as well -in another tank, as I obviously don't want them being eaten....

[Martin S]

Hi Steve
How is the Ageneiosus marmoratus doing? Have the woulds and split fins started to heal?
Any luck finding companions?
And how is the feeding going?
Lots of questions...
Martin

[Steve GT]

Hi Martin. Yes he's doing good thanks. Got the new tank set up got a big orange marble plec in there at the min to start the cycling off I don't know what people on here's views are with fish less cycling but I believe in getting a hardy fish in does it good too. Going to get a synodontis filamentosa soon to go in with the marmoratus and probably a decorous. Do these sound like nice peaceful tank mates for him? Also got the tank filled with some nice plants for him and plenty of air. Couple of air rocks and 2 new external filters do there's lots of air and it's nice and clean for him.

As for his fin it's getting much better really pleased for it. Feeding wise iv made a partition that goes in the tank and is easily removable so he can swim round. When I feed him at night I put the partition in so he's seperate from the rest (especially the Oscar) and its gone in the morning. I'm feeding him on live earthworms at the min which he seems to like. Also got some massivore pellets but he won't touch them. Do you think iv got to persist with these and be patient? Or cause he's getting worms he won't be interested in dry food? Anyone got any tips the help would be very much appreciated. Learned how to look after him properly thanks to you guys any more advice or tips would be brill

[sidguppy]

again: it's good he's taking earthworms, but his natural food is live fish.

you really must feed him such.

[Steve GT]

Yeah I know I should but trying to get a supply of clean feeder fish is hard. A lot like small feeder goldfish are full of parasites and I can't find anywhere that sells river shrimp etc. I spoke to a guy at wharf aquatics in Nottingham. Anyone ever been apparently there one of the best in Britain for tropical fish. The guy in there said he knows the marmoratus quite well he advised me to put him on earth worms till he's nice and fat then eventually with a bit of patience he might start eating dry food and recommended massivore pellets which are specially designed for carnivorous fish lol

Anyone got any opinions or experience on this?

[Steve GT]

Or does anyone know where I can get a supply of live fish for him? I live in Lincolnshire but I don't mind travelling a bit for them or any internet sites that might deliver? Any help guys

[wrasse]

Some retailers sell frozen 'white fish'... it looks like a bag full of zebra-danio sized fish. I don't think its white-bait. Pier sell it for sure.
I agree with the advice from Wharf... a very good shop. If that was Richard Hardwick you spoke to, he knows his fish.
Build-up/ fatten-up your fish, then don't feed it for a couple of days, do a good sized water-change to give it an appetite, then the next day try massivore. Once your fish is truly settled it should eat what ever you offer it.

[Steve GT]

It was Richard indeed mate glad you agree. I'm off up there next week for a Synodontis filamentosa they have in there but yeah it's a brill place

So you think I should carry on with worms for now then?

[wrasse]

So you think I should carry on with worms for now then?

Yes for now, until you obtain other suitable foods.

[Steve GT]

What other foods you mean? Like when or if he's happy to eat dry food or you mean live food? Is it worth maybe looking into raising my own shrimp etc?

[wrasse]

Hi steve,

Obtain the frozen white fish I mentioned before.
Aim for your ageneiosus to eat massivore, white fish, and the the occasional worm. That's a good diet for starters. It will hopefully learn to take other foods such as frozen shrimp, catfish pellets, maybe brineshrimp pellets too.
Dry foods are convenient, so its easier for you when your fish accepts them. Dry foods are also concentrated, they have the vitamins and minerals a fish needs.
Frozen/ live food is their diet in a more natural form... not concentrated. but these foods help condition the fish, adding bulk, making it healthier and happier.

Keep on top of the water quality and successful feeding should follow.

Personally, I wouldn't bother trying to raise shrimp as a food. I'm sure they would eat them, but why complicate things?

[Marc van Arc]

I don't want to nag, but you should give it live feeders now and again.
Of course you can keep it alive with flakes, larvae and worms. But if you want to see it happy and healthy, it needs to be able hunt for live feeders. It's difficult to explain exactly why, but pls take my "experienced" word for it. Not just your fish of course; I'm sure the same goes for Richard's Ageneiosus too.
If you don't have the room for a guppy breeding tank (which will provide your own, healthy stock), you could buy a few per month from a reliable (hobby-)seller. Because - I'd like to stress that - it's not that they should constantly have live fishes. Occassionally will do.

I agree with you on the quality of goldfish these days. Don't feed, unless from a reliable source.

[Steve GT]

So how does this sound as a plan then? Keep him on worms to fatten him up for a bit. Invest in some white frozen fish that wrasse was talking about with the intention of eventually getting him to eat dry food like massivore pellets. But to keep him happy add a small guppy in once or twice a month to keep him happy hunting.

Do you think this will work or will the introduction of live fish reverse the dry food thing and have him thinking why bother with dry food when I can starve muself until I get something live?

[Marc van Arc]

Do you think this will work or will the introduction of live fish reverse the dry food thing and have him thinking why bother with dry food when I can starve muself until I get something live?

I'm very sure this will work. The fish will not reject other foods because it has had live feeders. It'll probably react to anything floating/swimming (I can't recall mine taking food from the bottom).
But if I may make a comparison: you can keep yourself alive on lettuce, but I'm sure you'd like (need!) something with a bite now and again. That's the whole thing ime.

PS: I'd go for adult female guppies instead of small ones. Don't forget you have a large fish.

[Floody]

Just for info, but it is technically illegal to deliberately feed one live fish to another in this country.

[MatsP]

Just for info, but it is technically illegal to deliberately feed one live fish to another in this country.

Technically yes, unless not doing so will lead to suffering in the species being fed. This applies to any vertebrate being used as live food to any other animal.

--
Mats

[sidguppy]

odd

how do Britons feed their pet snakes then?

[Floody]

With frozen mice.

[amiidae]

If your cat swims constantly against the water current (say outlet of the power head), try dropping some cut market prawn and let them flow toward the fish. The method works for my cat and soon, he will recognize that as food and may eventually pick them up even fm the tank floor.

[Jools]

I don't see much problem in using earthworms or indeed crickets if easier than fishes. When I kept these in the trade they ate frozen prawns quite happily. Have a scan of this:

http://redalyc.uaemex.mx/redalyc/pdf/69 ... ract_2.pdf

Jools