Normal Banjo Catfish Behaviour?

[Coryking]

So about a week and a half ago I brought a Banjo Catfish (Bunocephalus Coracoideus). However I have only seen it when I first introduced it to the tank. Its a fish I've been hunting for quite some time so I have done quite a bit of research on them. I have been adding food to the front of the tank once my lights turn off however even with this I am yet to see it. Is this normal behaviour or should I be concerned? The tank is planted quite densely in the back and midgrounds but open in the front.

Many thanks.

 

[CassCats]

Very normal. I often only see mine at night, have to look for her with a flashlight.

Otherwise, lives buried under the substrate. Drop some food in at night and you'll be good.

Mine during the day at most miiighhht peek her face out of the sand around some debris lol

Mine is Bunocephalus larai, won't get any larger than this. Her tiny size makes it even harder to find her lol

It's a struggle looking for her and sometimes I'll go a couple weeks to months without finding her. Then she will pop up like nothing was missed. Even when they come out they don't move around a lot. Chill, slow fish.

 

[Coryking]

Thank you for the information. I will try to look for mine a bit later, hopefully without breaking anything next to the tank … I've been reading up about them on seriously fish where it makes them out to be like my other nocturne fish that come out every night. I even double checked I've been reading about the right fish.

Thanks for sharing some photos. Yours looks so cute with its head sticking out of the sand.

 

[GaryE]

I had 3 cats from the banjo group once, for close to 4 years. I saw them several times. The longest they remained invisible with 6 months. That's one I won't go looking for again, even if I don't mind shy, cryptic or hard to spot fish. Hard to spot is one thing - buried and impossible to spot is another...

 

[CassCats]

Nah these are guys that you won't see much at all. I think they're fun because of it, but they're definitely not for everyone because of it.

For me, it's an awesome treat to see mine, and really fun trying to find her among debris.


Try adding some botanical piles in the front part of the tank, you may be more likely to spot yours hiding under them at times.

 

[MuddyWaters]

what is it with catfish/bottom feeders? i have a spotted raphael. It was my favorite fish when I was a kid. I haven't seen him in 3 months. I used to be able to draw him out with some homemade food I would put in there. Now he is even more remote.

My kuhli loaches are the same. I love them, but dang, they never come out LOL