Hara Jerdoni

[alexyay]

Are these found in NZ? They're not on the list but I may have just bought some - it's been suggested that they're banjo cats but I guess time will tell on that one (3cm vs a 12cm+ - if they get bigger they won't be Hara!). So yeah - are they legal here if they're not on the list?

[Aaron-Betta]

if you are meaning "hara hara catfish", or "dwarf hara hara catfish" tiny cats that look like anchors when you look at them from above, then I believe they are imported as Erethistes hara. The genus Hara has now been synonymised with Erethistes. Therefore the Hara species are now in Erethistes

Just a sidenote - these are one of my fav fish. Currently have three hanging out in my crypt tank with my frucatus 8)

[reptilez]

Yep, where i work imports them under Hara Hara cats.

[flatfish]

if you are meaning "hara hara catfish", or "dwarf hara hara catfish" tiny cats that look like anchors when you look at them from above, then I believe they are imported as Erethistes hara. The genus Hara has now been synonymised with Erethistes. Therefore the Hara species are now in Erethistes

Just a sidenote - these are one of my fav fish. Currently have three hanging out in my crypt tank with my frucatus 8)

+1. I agree they are a really neat little catfish and they are on the list under Erethistes hara.

[Sophia]

I had 2 last year or the year before. They didn't like moving house though

[alexyay]

+1. I agree they are a really neat little catfish and they are on the list under Erethistes hara.

Thanks so much! That makes a lot of sense now Glad I don't have an illegal cat (sold at the store as "Indian Head Catfish" - Hara Jerdoni). I saw Erethistes hara but figured it was a different fish (was expecting Hara to be the genus). I haven't seen my three (I think I saw one swim away when I put the lights on last night) - I think I might have to invest in a moonlight for my nocturnal fish. Only got them yesterday so hopefully they're settling in

[alexyay]

I had 2 last year or the year before. They didn't like moving house though

Moving house in Feburary D: I'll have to make sure to do things slowly for the sensitive fish (last time I did an emergency tank switch I lost an oto - don't want to think about moving to another city with them!)

[alexyay]

Found all three today which means there haven't been any deaths One is looking quite pale on its underside, though.

Do you guys find that these are like otos where if they make it through the acclimation process they're OK, and just sensitive early on, or that they are very sensitive to water conditions changing or nitrates getting too high? I recently tested the pH for this tank and it sat at 6.4-ish - my other tank at 6.2 (tank water is at 7.6), I'm planning on doing some big WCs to help bring it up again and adding some crushed oyster shells to combat the pH dropping too low (I think the 70L is old tank syndrome and this tank has only dropped because of the CO2, maybe because of the piece of driftwood in it).

[Sophia]

I had 2. 1 was always a little paler in colour and more shy than the other, the other one was a little hoover. When we moved I realised that the pale one had disappeared and then a little while later I realised I hadn't seen the other one for a while and it never showed it's face again.

they were cool little fish though

[Colour_genes]

To revive an old thread  - Bought 2 of these a couple of weeks ago under the name 'mini moth catfish, Hara jerdoni' and have been quarantining them in a 20l tank. Both still apparently healthy, but I'm finding feeding of them a bit of a pain. The only thing they have really shown any interest in is microworms. Does anyone know if they can be acclimated onto either frozen foods or bottom-feeder tabs with enough persistence or are they strictly live-food-only critters?

I'm was thinking of putting them into a 100l planted tank with 5 sterbais and a half dozen male guppies in a couple of weeks, but I'm now wondering if they might be out-competed for food, given they seem rather slow on the uptake. Any useful ideas or comments anyone can give?

[alexyay]

I honestly had trouble getting them eating anything other than bloodworms - however I've not been able to train them to eat earlier in the day lately, so can only tell based on what foods are left over after feeding at night. 

 

Personally - I'd imagine they would struggle to compete with Sterbais. They're likely best kept as the only bottom dwellers (and they also prefer much lower temps than Sterbais). 

[Colour_genes]

I'm pleased to say that both the little cats are still alive, and seem (fingers crossed) to be doing quite well. I eventually put them in a fairly tall 40l tank which has a 2-3oC temp gradient from top to bottom  with a couple of gentle flow sponge filters, so they are able to pick the temp they prefer. There are plenty of plants and they nestle in amongst these at varying levels throughout the day.  They share the tank with some female guppies.

Food - they are eating microworms & freeze-dried brine shrimp as their main diet (possibly picking up some scraps of guppy flakes), and occasionally appear to be hoovering either algae or biofilm off the tank glass. Both are looking a little fatter and darker in colour than when I first got them (will try to take some photos) and have grown a little. I have no idea what sexes they are, and hoping to buy at least one more, to up my chances of having a breeding pair / group.

[alexyay]

Unfortunately I've not seen mine out for a while I lost one due to an IP infection, one got wedged between the filter sponge and glass, and I then lost two due to an Excel overdose. I may have about 2-3 left, but I imagine they aren't feeling so safe in such a small group. I never managed to get them eating anything other than Bloodworms, but it was so hard to tell as they only fed at night (they used to come out before lights-out, but then stopped after I rescaped the tank). I'd like to get some more one day, but will probably hold off until I can be 100% sure that the environment is stable/suitable (might even try a species-only tank one day).