How cute are these Irwini catfish

Just thought I would share these little guys we managed to lay our hands on...

There are two in the grow out tank, one is mine and one will go to @Cesar once he is big enough to be safe with his monsters... the joys of being a Granny

They are just too cute for words.. look like little gremlins!!

They will grow to about 45cm in captivity but one of the most peaceful catfish you can get and can be kept even with small fish, they also very slow growers
They will live happily on pellets and have very little mouths

 

Really awesome. Never saw them before.
Could be cause the fish that you guys keep are the size our tanks are hahahaha.

To be honest: I am on several forums : You South Africans have seriously have the biggest tanks (and dito fish).

Awesome

No Cory no glory

 

That is a very unique prehistoric looking catfish @MariaS. Love the color and body shape.

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I'm not sure I would call them cute - more of a predator type look but still a very cool looking fish.

 

Thanks

No, they are not readily available for some reason.
Yet there are thousands of Red Tail Catfish for sale....

Hahha.... No.... I think the guys in the States have the real monster tanks!!

 

Thanks @pierreschoonraad, must admit I have fallen in love with the little guys

Their body is covered in hard plates which keeps them safe if they with slightly aggressive fish

 

They actually look like gremlins!!!

Funny enough they not predator at all and very, very peaceful
Some people have theirs with fish as small as Tetras and they don't get eaten
The omnivorous but prefer a vegetarian diet and will eat fruits from wild trees along the rivers that might fall into the water
I feed the rays all sorts of frozen fish yet they wait for their pellets to eat
Their mouth is actually tiny

The other nice thing is that yes, they big at around 45cm but takes 8 to 9 years for them to get to that size if they do

 

The hard plates are a good thing. Similar to my Panaque but just more visible on these guys. Do they also feel like rough sandpaper?

Red tail cats are seen as cute fishies where these are more a aquired taste type fish. I'm sure @Hendre will be intereated in them.

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When I said predator I mean like preadator from the movies - Alien vs predator etc.

 

Thanks...

I think being peaceful and not growing into monsters overnight is a good start

Will be interesting to see them grow

 

That's a fairy tale. In general you South Africans definitely have the biggest tanks and biggest fish hahaha.

No Cory no glory

 

I wouldnt say it feels like sand paper, it feels like plates and and feels fairly smooth

They definitely an acquired taste type fish
When Cesar brought them home I said "what on earth have you found now!
He put them in his 1.2m tank with some acara fry as they were really tiny
Now that they a little bigger they came to the big grow out tank by me and I just fell in love with the little guys
Their colour started coming out and they just look at you with these alien little eyes!!!