Mysterious Skull Identification Please

[Carlie]

Originally Posted by fishboy

Edit, sorry should have said, it is DEFINITELY a catfish skull of some sort. The spiny pectoral fins are a dead giveaway

I think I've just figured out that it's the big Gibbiceps plec that died a couple of years ago.

Would explain the sailfin bone and the boney pectoral fins.

What does everybody else think? Big Plec?

[iiisecondcreep]

When I was younger I buried some of my reps in the back garden when they died.

We have since moved house.

I've often wondered what would happen if the people who live in teh old house now accidentally dug up the bones. Now I know!

Very interesting thread though, made a good read

[Carlie]

I feel sad now. Some cat's been digging up my dead pets!

He was a horrible little bast though. Killed a good few of my cichlids including a fav Angelfish that we caught him attacking when it was asleep at night. Poor Edgar the Angel would be asleep at the top of the tank minding his own business when mean Plec would swim up the side of the tank to the top and then stick on the side of Edgar and drag him to the bottom. Poor fish didn't know what was going on and being pathetic and waffer thin couldn't do much about it.

He also used to kill my Convict cichilds, and we all know how vicious those little buggers can be. He'd dart in to a shoal of them banging in to them with his spines. I think it was a territorial thing.

He ended up in a tank by himself with no friends. Serves him right. Then one day we just found him on the bottom not moving. He didn't look dead but after a few days of him not moving we kinda figured out he probably was, so we poked him. When we didn't get violently beaten we figured out he was dead and burried him in the back garden. Too big to flush down the loo. (that was a joke before anybody beats me up)

Aaah, well. Mystery solved. It was interesting while it lasted.

Thanks for all your help, my bone forensic peoples!

Right, who's going to dig up the next pet so we can all guess what it is?!

[RasperAndy]

we ran out of space for graves in our front and back gardens, we often talk about the remains people would find if they ever dug them up!!!!

its like pet cemetery

[ephiedoodle]

has any one emailed you back about this. ?

[Carlie]

I actually got an email this morning from the Manchester University Museum. Didn't think I'd get a reply.

They said definitely fish and the spine is probably poisonous so don't touch it! They invited me to send it in so they could have a look.

I've no doubt it's the Plec, but may as well give them something to discuss over afternoon tea, so I'll chuck it in the post.

My mum still doesn't believe that it's actually one of our dead pets and that the spikey thing couldn't possibly be a part of the fish's sailfin. I asked her what, in her wildiest dreams, could she possibly imagine would have a horn in the middle of it's skull? Apart from a baby Narhwal.

Anyway, I'll send an email back to the university and see if they still want to see it.

[ephiedoodle]

nice one,glad they replied to you.

[Joe1507]

keep us updated!

[x.froggy.x]

Wow that is bizarre