Catfish – Driftwood Catfish (Trachelyopterus fisheri) 5cm

Native to the Colombian Rio Sucio, the Driftwood Catfish grows to approximately 27cm. It  has a vertically flattened head and body with a bulging throat, a vertically oriented caudal fin, chin whiskers, and a long dorsal spine that seemingly stems from its neck. Peaceful and sociable, these catfish are often seen out of hiding during the day and can be kept alongside other gentle South American species large enough that they can’t fit in their mouths. In captivity, these catfish do best with soft substrate, driftwood logs and branches, slate and rock piles, and caves, areas of open swimming space and dim lighting. A surface feeder by nature, these catfish predominantly feast on invertebrates including terrestrial insects and their aquatic larvae. In captivity they relish being offered live meals, though they accept frozen foods as well. Tank waters should be kept with temperatures between 24°c – 28°c, and pH of 6.0 to 7.0.

These fish have a voracious appetite and can look like barrels at times, especially the females.

These fish grow to 27cm so they do need quite a bit of room. We would recommend 500 litres as a minimum

Give them places to hide and, at the same time, free swimming space.

Do not keep these gentle fish together with “aggressive” species. They are quite defenseless against (for instance) cichlids or other fishes that may harass them during the day when they are resting and thus become very vulnerable then. Even a fin nipping krib may be considered aggressive in this respect.

Also do not keep them together with small species, smaller fish may be eaten “by accident”.