farlowella catfish

[Donna]

These farlows are seriously competing with my beloved kuhlis for Favorite Fish. They don't have flashy colors and happy, high-energy personalities like the kuhlis, but they don't hide (deliberately) and it truly doesn't seem to stress them to hold them. When I do my weekly cleaning, I gently work my hand between a farlow and the side of the tank, or wiggle beneath him if he's on the sand, and he just lays in my hand quietly.
I haven't had fish that let me hold them since the corydoras I had from Junior High until college. (My mother sold the tank, fish, stand, accessories and all while I was away -- even though I came home every weekend and kept it nice.) Maybe it's a catfish thing. So far they seem pretty content, vacuuming their way around the tank.

[starsplitter7]

I love catfish. I enjoy their company.

[Crissyloach]

Me too! My plecos would let me hold them if I tried- I am sure! I like having the bettas around too. They will swim on top of my hand when I hold it near the surface, and gently (that is new!) take food from my fingers. The little guys are so cute!

[Donna]

I've tried but can't get the farlows to eat from my hand or the hemostats, not for algae wafers, zucchini or Nori, all of which they eat on their own (I put the Nori in a mesh bag.) The kuhlis nibble at bloodworms if I hold still for awhile, and the seriously misnamed angelfish ATTACK my fingers even if I don't have food. Good thing they don't have teeth.

[Crissyloach]

I can't imagine having a puffer bite me- they do have teeth!

That is like my female bettas- they just attack me!! When I did a water change the first time, a bunch of them just swam up to me, and bit me! Doesn't hurt or anything, but it makes you jump!!The first one who bit me is named Siamese Biter Fish. The name fits!!

[starsplitter7]

I've never been hurt being bit by a fish I owned However, I have been spined by a yoyo! Ouch! I am also worried about being bit by my TireTrack eel, but she has never tried to bite me. She's only interested in shrimp. I do have fish who nibble me, mostly the mollies and guppies. The clowns can give a good nip, but don't usually miss.

[Crissyloach]

Yeah- my bettas just seem to see something, and decide to go bite it. They are pretty smart- swimming through little hoops made from airline tubing.

[Donna]

More farlowella gracilis pictures! Yes, I am the piscatorial paparazzi
edge-on view of the bigger farlow:

farlow eating zucchini

farlow on the new live plant

mirror image farlow