On his fish farm in Florida, Colin also breeds koi, mosquito fish, rosy barbs,
jewel cichlids, blue gouramis, Buenos Aires tetras, Australian rainbows, platys, and
swordtails.
Hoplosternum littorale
A welcome visitor to Happy Trails Aquatics
by Colin D. Calway
of Happy Trails Aquatics, Florida
Aquarticles
A couple of years ago, around the month of July as the rainy season started to set in
in Central Florida, I was doing my daily walking the ponds and checking for predators or
any unusual fish activity, when I noticed a large bubble nest alongside a bank. It was
attached to vegetation on the water's edge and had a roof consisting of straw and dead
grass. There was a lot of activity under the nest as it was bouncing from side to side. My
first thought was that we had been breeding blue gouramis in a close by pond - fish do
have a strange way of moving from one pond to another. But the size of the nest and the
activity around and under it quickly changed my mind. I put a net under the nest and came
up with a very angry male Hoplosternum littorale armored catfish. We call them
Hoplos. Where these fish came from I have no idea. I do know that unlike the walking
catfish the Hoplo is a welcome visitor. It is an entertaining catfish with a small mouth
and can be kept in aquariums as a community fish along with livebearers or others.
I used a cast net on this pond and came up with a few male and female Hoplos which I
placed in some large holding tanks, 4ft x 8ft, using well water of pH 7. The pond they
came from had pH 5.5. I placed some styrofoam tiles in the tank and within days the Hoplos
were building nests under the tiles. The fry hatch after about four days and can be
collected by placing a fine net under the nest. Beware of Daddy because he will come
straight at you! You put your hand close to the nest and he will hit it like a rocket. I
have had these fish feeding out of my hand a day after capture.
As the rainy season continued, water rose from ponds into some overgrown ditches filled
with vegetation, and sure enough the Hoplos started building their nests in the ditches.
We have two very friendly pitbulls at the ranch who spend most of the day frogging or
chasing lizards. One of the dogs spotted a nest moving in a ditch and decided to check it
out with her paw. The male Hoplo came at her at such a speed that he landed on the bank
out of the water. I have never seen a dog jump or move so fast in my life! Anyway, she
does not go after any more Hoplo nests and has returned to the much safer game of
frogging.
Hoplosternum littorale are out of Trinidad, Guyana, Argentina, Brazil and
other countries, and now it looks like Florida is on its list. I guess it will take a
couple of severe winters to see how much cold they can take. I have had a company from
Canada and one from New York call and ask if I can supply them with Hoplos as apparently
they are excellent eating. They have a red salmon-like flesh. I don't raise enough of them
for the food trade and prefer to sell them to the aquarium trade.
If anyone would like more details regarding the scientific facts or the tricks that can
be used to motivate the breeding of this fish feel free to email me.
If you would like to visit Happy Trails Aquatics give me a call or an email. The water
levels have dropped so rubber boots are not necessary.
Visit Happy Trails Aquatics Florida Fish Farm. Tropicals, Koi Carp and Mosquito Fish to
control mosquito borne diseases. www.htaquatics.netfirms.com
See also Colin's other articles:
A Day in the Life of a Florida
Fish Farm
Hurricanes and Walking
Catfish
|