Frog som

Ogre Catfish, Frog Catfish or Galper, the scientific name of Asterophysus batrachus, belongs to the family Auchenipteridae (Occipital catfishes). Large carnivorous fish, not recommended for beginners, if they will be engaged in the maintenance of the aquarium on their own.

Habitat

It comes from South America from the Rio Negro basin in the Brazilian state of Amazonas and Orinoco in Venezuela. It lives in the main riverbeds, preferring shallow water. Usually active at night. The water in these rivers is saturated with tannins from decaying plant organic matter, which has acquired a rich dark color.

Brief information:

• The volume of the aquarium – from 500 liters.
• Temperature – 22-28°C
• Value pH — 5.0–7.0
• Water hardness – 1–7 dGH
• Substrate type – sandy
• Lighting – subdued
• Brackish water – no
• Water movement – light or moderate
• The size of the fish is about 25 cm.
• Nutrition – live, fresh or frozen food
• Temperament – conditionally peaceful
• Keeping alone or in company with other large species

Description

Adults reach a length of 20-25 cm. The fish has a massive head in comparison with the proportions of the body and a huge mouth, around which are short thin antennae. The bizarre appearance of this catfish is reflected in colloquial names, adding to them such prefixes as Ogre or Frog. The coloration is dark, almost black. The belly is white.

Food

In nature it is a predator, but in a home aquarium it is able to adapt to accepting alternative foods, for example, strips of white fish meat, mussels, whole shrimp, large earthworms, etc. Feed 1-2 times a week.

Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium

The optimal size of the aquarium for one catfish starts from 500 liters. Decoration is not of great importance and is a matter of taste of the aquarist. However, the fish will look most natural in dim lighting conditions among large snags against a sandy substrate covered with a layer of fallen tree leaves. Natural driftwood and trees can become a source of tannins, in particular tannins, which will give the water a chemical composition characteristic of natural reservoirs and color it in a rich brown color. Read more in the article “Which tree leaves can be used in an aquarium.”

The successful keeping of the Frog Catfish depends on many factors, one of the most important being a stable aquatic environment. An effective filtration system along with weekly replacements of part of the water with fresh water are considered mandatory due to the large amount of waste produced by predatory species.

Behavior and Compatibility

Differs in voracity and is able to swallow fish close to it in size, so it can only get along with very large species. Otherwise, he is quite peaceful and does not show signs of aggression.

Breeding / breeding

At the time of writing, there is no reliable information about the successful breeding of Catfish Ogre in home aquariums.

Fish diseases

The cause of most diseases is unsuitable conditions of detention. A stable habitat will be the key to successful keeping. In the event of symptoms of the disease, first of all, the quality of the water should be checked and, if deviations are found, measures should be taken to correct the situation. If symptoms persist or even worsen, medical treatment will be required. Read more about symptoms and treatments in the Aquarium Fish Diseases section.