Asian Bumblebee Catfish Breeding Guide

Why Pseudomystus siamensis is unreported as a breeder in the hobby; in nature it spawns at the onset of the wet season, with no documented aquarium spawning.

Overview

The Asian bumblebee catfish (Pseudomystus siamensis) is a bagrid from Southeast Asian river systems, including the lower Mekong (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) and the Chao Phraya in Thailand, reaching up to 15 cm standard length. It is a strictly nocturnal display catfish that has not been bred in the hobby.

Sexing

Females have a stockier body shape than males. Males have a prominent elongated genital papilla and more vivid light markings than females.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

The only documented reproductive note for this species is that, in the wild, spawning coincides with the onset of the wet season. No aquarium method, trigger, egg-deposition site or fry-rearing protocol has been recorded in the hobby.

Common Challenges

Since hobby spawning is undocumented, the species should be kept as a display fish rather than a breeding project, with soft to moderately hard, slightly acidic water (20-26 °C, pH 5.8-7.8, 4-25 dH) and plenty of caves and driftwood for daytime cover.