Twig Catfish behaviour

[Bloo]

I have a couple of twigs (Farlowella Acus). I've only had them for about 2 - 3 weeks and the one seems to sit right next to the heater almost all the time In fact often it looks like she is touching it - which worries me as the heater is at 27 degrees Celsius and hot to the touch when it's on ! Is this not really bad for her ? It's a Visitherm, so she seems to have direct contact with the glass. Surely this can't be good ?

 

[Ben]

are you sure thats the right temp for them?

my fish go next to the heater when i have just done a water change etc and it's to cold for them

DD

 

[CFC]

Get a guard to go over your heater!! Twig cats like to rest on similar shaped objects as it gives them camoflage from predators, since the only long thin item in the tank is the heater the farrowella will automatically go to it. If the farrowella sucks onto the hot end when it is heating it can cause serious burns to the mouth parts, fish are cold blooded so dont feel burns like we do and will just sit their until the damage done is very serious, i have seen large catfish with burns that go right down to the bones!!

 

[Paul_MTS]

my twig cats like sitting on plants during the day.

1 of them mainly sits on the vallis leaves during the day but will quite happily come out into the middle aswell.

 

[Bloo]

Thanks CFC I think I will have to get a different heater with one of those protective casings. However, I actually have loads of vertical objects in that thank to choose from funny enough. Large pieces of upright Slate, wood, Big thick Vallis etc. etc. and the other one never goes near the heater. And it's not that 27 degrees is cold or anything.