Aquarium Care:
This species is the exact opposite of the beautifully
marked L.
oncinus, and
in the aquarium, just like its congener you may not
see too much of it as it can be crepuscular in nature
and will need hiding places to make it feel more secure
and happy in its surroundings. Can be kept in a community
tank but may eat very small fish at night such as
the fry of livebearers, but basically a good addition
to the larger tank set up. My speciman is kept in
a 48" x 18" x18" with a large Synodontis
nigrita and a Pike Cichlid, so it has plenty
of room. I don't see it very often, only If I am rearanging
the tank layout. Can be territorial with its own kind
but you can get round this by providing extra cover
such as pipes and driftwood. Can tend to change its
body colour from dark to light according to the substrate.
Diet: Will take most prepared foods such
as frozen bloodworm, tablet and flake food. Better
to feed at night after lights out, but once settled
in tank will forage for food in low light conditions.
Etymology: The genus name Liosomadorus:
From the Greek leios, meaning smooth; soma; meaning
body and Doras (a genus of doradid catfishes); in
reference to the lack of bony plates on the body (when
the genus was described as a doradid). The specific
name: morrowi: for William Morrow, who collected
this fish.
Common
Name:
Black
Jaguar Catfish
Synonyms:
None
Family:
Auchenipteridae
Distribution:
South America:Peru, in the Rio Ucayali basin. Type
locality: Ucayali River basin, Contamana,
Peru.
Size:
16.0cm. (6¼ins)
Temp:
20-24°c (67-75°f.)
p.H.
6.5-7.0.
Reference:
Ferraris, C.J. Jr.,
2007. Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes:
Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary
types. Zootaxa 1418:1-628. ScotCat
Factsheet no. 148.
October. 2008.
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