Aspidoras taurus
On this page10 sections
Quick facts
Difficulty6 of 6 measures
More bars, more demanding.
- Space
- modest tank
- Water
- tap water
- Temp
- unfussy
- Temperament
- peaceful
- Social
- shoal
- Compatibility
- community tank
A. taurus can be told apart from congeners by the following combination of characters: infraorbitals and preopercle covered by thick skin and not visible externally (vs. covered by thin skin and externally visible in other Aspidoras); nuchal plate reduced, covered by thick skin and not visible externally (vs. well developed, covered by thin skin and visible externally); lateral line absent posterior to two small lateral line ossicles (vs. lateral line present on at least first body plate).
Etymology
Aspidoras: from the Ancient Greek ἀσπίς (aspis), meaning 'shield', and δορά (dora), meaning 'skin, hide of an animal', in allusion to the rows of bony plates on the flanks of genus members.
taurus: from the Latin taurus, meaning 'bull', in reference to its robust appearance.
Distribution
Known only from the upper rio Itiquira and upper rio Taquari, both tributaries within the rio Paraguay system, Mato Grosso State, Brazil.
Type locality is 'River Itiquira, River Paraguai system, 16°56'S, 53°32'W, Fazenda Cabeceira do Itiquira, close to highway BR-364, Alto Garças, Mato Grosso State, Brazil'.
Aquarium size
An aquarium with minimum base dimensions of 75 ∗ 30 cm30 ∗ 12 in or more is recommended.
Maintenance
Ideally use a substrate of fine sand, although rounded gravel is an acceptable alternative provided it's kept scrupulously clean.
Other décor is largely down to personal choice, but some cover should be provided to give the fish security.
This species requires stable, clean water conditions and should never be added to a biologically immature set-up.
Water conditions
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Diet
Aspidoras spp. are foraging omnivores and will accept most sinking dried foods, as well as small live and frozen varieties such as chironomid larvae (bloodworm), Tubifex, etc.
Feeding a varied diet will ensure the fish are in optimum condition.
Under no circumstances should they be expected to survive on 'left-overs' from other inhabitants of the aquarium or relied on to 'clean' the aquarium.
Behaviour and compatibility
Peaceful and gregarious. Should be maintained in a group of at least 4-6 individuals.
Notes
This species is relatively common in the aquarium trade but is sometimes mislabelled as A. menezesi, a valid but distinct species.
A. taurus can be told apart from congeners by the following combination of characters: infraorbitals and preopercle covered by thick skin and not visible externally (vs. covered by thin skin and externally visible in other Aspidoras); nuchal plate reduced, covered by thick skin and not visible externally (vs. well developed, covered by thin skin and visible externally); lateral line absent posterior to two small lateral line ossicles (vs. lateral line present on at least first body plate).
References
- Ferraris, C. J., Jr. (2007). Checklist of catfishes, recent and fossil (Osteichthyes: Siluriformes), and catalogue of siluriform primary types. Zootaxa 1418, 1-628
- Reis, R. E., S. O. Kullander and C. J. Ferraris, Jr. (eds) (2003). Check list of the freshwater fishes of South and Central America. CLOFFSCA. EDIPUCRS, Porto Alegre, i-xi + 1-729
- Lima, F. C. T. and M. R. Britto (2001). New catfish of the genus Aspidoras (Siluriformes: Callichthyidae) from the upper Rio Paraguai system in Brazil. Copeia 2001(4), 1010-1016
Species images · 3
Used with the photographer’s permission. Not licensed for reuse.