Asian Wasp Catfish (Akysis vespa) Care Guide
Akysis vespa is a tiny stream catfish from the Ataran drainage in Myanmar, with mildly stinging spines, suited to gentle nano biotopes.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Akysis vespa is a tiny catfish of the family Akysidae. FishBase records it from the Ataran River drainage in Myanmar, where it inhabits clear, fast-flowing streams with a gravelly bottom. Its specific name, vespa (wasp), refers to the painful sting its spines can inflict.
Taxonomy
- Family: Akysidae (stream catfishes)
- Genus: Akysis
- Scientific name: Akysis vespa
Habitat
FishBase describes the species occupying clear, fast-flowing streams with gravelly substrate in a tropical, demersal setting. It carries one dorsal spine and five dorsal soft rays and differs from related species in lacking serrations on the rear edge of the pectoral spine.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 60 L
- Temperature: 22-26 °C (72-79 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-10 °dGH
- Lifespan: 5-10 years
Diet
The species is insectivorous, taking small invertebrates. In the aquarium it accepts small sinking foods and frozen items such as bloodworms and cyclops, fed once daily and ideally after dark.
Compatibility
Peaceful and bottom-dwelling, it suits a calm nano setup with fine sand or gravel and gentle current. House only with similarly small, quiet species so it can compete for food and find shelter.
Breeding Akysis vespa
Overview
Akysis vespa is a nano catfish of the family Akysidae, reaching only about 25-31 mm standard length. Seriously Fish records it as endemic to the headwaters of the Salween River basin on the Myanmar-Thailand border, in the Megathat stream drainage in Myanmar and the Hanthayaw River in Thailand. It is a primarily nocturnal micropredator feeding on small crustaceans, worms, insect larvae and zooplankton, kept at 16.5-23.5 degrees Celsius and pH 6.0-7.5.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
According to Seriously Fish, a successful spawning was recorded only once, in the original species description paper. It was apparently triggered by a significant decrease in temperature of around 7 degrees Celsius, consistent with the cool, seasonal nature of its hill-stream habitat.
Egg & Fry Care
In that single documented event, the eggs hatched in 4 days, the fry absorbed their yolk sacs within 10 days, and adult patterning developed within 23 days. No other rearing details are documented.
Common Challenges
Sexual dimorphism is unreported for the species, and the only spawning on record comes from the type description rather than repeated aquarium success, so any attempt should be regarded as experimental.