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Following swiftly on from last months factsheet on Akysis longifilis by contributor Steve Grant, we herald in a new year (2008) with another member of the same genus, the "Indawgyi stream catfish", Akysis prashadi, and another contribution by regular subscriber Adrian Taylor. Adrian is also a member of the Catfish Study Group and with no further ado I will hand you over.

kysis prashadi is one of the largest of the species, one that we find frequently in our local fish stores today, and one that is highly active when feeding.

Akysis prashadi

In general their markings differ slightly from specimen to specimen, although their general appearance and colouration remains consistent. Generally speaking the head is a golden tan with brown speckles to it in colour, with the body also having a golden tan colouration to it, which contain three areas of dark brown along the body, the first running from the pectoral fin and ending level with the posterior edge of the dorsal fin, the second area starts midway between the ventral and anal fin and ending level with the posterior edge of the adipose fin, the third area runs through the caudal peduncle. There are thin brown irregular lines connecting these three bands, in some specimens these connecting lines can be absent or extremely thin, but generally it is usually the connecting line between the adipose and caudal brown areas that is hard to discern.

Sexing is relatively easy with the female having larger ventral and pectoral fins. There have been reports of their spawning, but as yet there are no reports of fry development.

Akysis prashadi - in aquarium.

Like other members of its genera, Akysis prashadi is more at home in aquaria having a sand substrate interspersed with small rocks and pebbles mixed with thick clumps of plants. Unless feeding, when they are highly active, they can be over looked in aquaria that has a sand substrate as they like nothing better than to bury themselves, leaving only their nasal barbels which protrude slightly from the sand to indicate where they are. So the next time you see a tank labelled ‘Akysis’ and there appears to be an empty tank, check the substrate to see if you see any barbels protruding out of the substrate.

Water conditions although not critical, (as long as it is low in nitrates) should be provided with a temperature range of between 18°C and 27°C, and pH values of between 6.5 and 7.2.

Feeding Akysis prashadi does not cause any difficulty, as long as you use frozen or live foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimps, white worms and daphnia, as they tend to ignore commercially prepared foods.

Common Name:

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Family:

Akysidae

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p.H.

Characteristics

Colouration

Aquarium Care & Compatibility

Reproduction

Sexual differences

Diet

Glossary of Terms

Etymology

References