Species Profiles
2402 articles- Megalodoras uranoscopus Care GuideMegalodoras uranoscopus is a large armoured talking catfish from Amazonian rivers, reaching about 60 cm and requiring very large aquaria.
- Black Doradid Care GuideDoras carinatus is a South American talking catfish from the Guianas that produces audible sounds with its pectoral spines.
- Zebra Shovelnose Catfish Care GuideBrachyplatystoma juruense is a large predatory catfish from the Amazon and Orinoco basins, reaching about 60 cm.
- Barred Sorubim (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum) Care GuidePseudoplatystoma fasciatum is a large migratory predatory catfish of South American rivers, reaching about 105 cm.
- Tiger Shovelnose (Pseudoplatystoma tigrinum) Care GuidePseudoplatystoma tigrinum is a large migratory predatory catfish of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, reaching about 130 cm.
- Red-Tailed Catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus) Care GuidePhractocephalus hemioliopterus is a giant South American catfish of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, reaching up to 135 cm and suited only to
- South American Bumblebee Catfish (Microglanis iheringi) Care GuideMicroglanis iheringi is a small banded catfish from Venezuela, reaching about 6 cm, peaceful with fish too large to swallow.
- Shovelnose Catfish (Sorubim lima) Care GuideSorubim lima is a long, shovel-snouted South American predatory catfish requiring a very large tank and meaty foods.
- Spotted Pim (Pimelodus maculatus) Care GuidePimelodus maculatus is a larger spotted South American long-whiskered catfish of the Parana and Sao Francisco basins, omnivorous and migrato
- Ornate Pim (Pimelodus ornatus) Care GuidePimelodus ornatus is a boldly patterned South American long-whiskered catfish from major river channels, a twilight-active piscivore.
- Bloch's Catfish (Pimelodus blochii) Care GuidePimelodus blochii is a hardy South American long-whiskered catfish from large lowland rivers, an omnivorous forager that eats smaller fish.
- Slender Pimelodella (Pimelodella gracilis) Care GuidePimelodella gracilis is a slender South American three-barbeled catfish from the Orinoco, Amazon and La Plata, an active dusk predator.
- Bloch's Pimelodella (Pimelodella blochii) Care GuidePimelodella blochii is a slender South American three-barbeled catfish, nocturnal and predatory toward small fish, kept with caves and soft
- Driftwood Catfish (Tatia perugiae) Care GuideTatia perugiae is a small Amazonian driftwood catfish from swift river margins, peaceful and best kept with caves and wood.
- Polka Dot Catfish (Auchenipterichthys punctatus) Care GuideAuchenipterichthys punctatus is a peaceful spotted driftwood catfish of the Rio Negro, nocturnal and insectivorous in the wild.
- Midnight Catfish (Auchenipterichthys coracoideus) Care GuideAuchenipterichthys coracoideus is a peaceful nocturnal driftwood catfish of the upper Amazon basin, kept in small groups with caves.
- Wallago Catfish (Wallago attu) Care GuideWallago attu is a large predatory Asian sheatfish reaching well over a metre, suitable only for very large public aquaria, not home tanks.
- Asian Wasp Catfish (Akysis vespa) Care GuideAkysis vespa is a tiny stream catfish from the Ataran drainage in Myanmar, with mildly stinging spines, suited to gentle nano biotopes.
- Pseudolaguvia ribeiroi Care GuidePseudolaguvia ribeiroi is a tiny South Asian erethistid catfish for nano tanks, favoring gentle current and biofilm-rich hardscape.
- Black Lancer Catfish (Bagrichthys macracanthus) Care GuideBagrichthys macracanthus is a dark Southeast Asian bagrid catfish with an elongated dorsal filament, nocturnal and territorial toward its ow
- Three-Lined Hill Catfish (Glyptothorax trilineatus) Care GuideGlyptothorax trilineatus is a hillstream sisorid catfish of fast Asian rivers, needing strong current and cool, oxygen-rich water.
- Striped Mystus (Mystus vittatus) Care GuideMystus vittatus is a striped South Asian bagrid catfish from lakes and swamps, an omnivore best kept in groups in a roomy tank.
- Tengara Catfish (Mystus tengara) Care GuideMystus tengara is a small South Asian bagrid catfish from the Ganges and Brahmaputra drainages, nocturnal and kept in groups.
- Mystus mysticetus Care GuideMystus mysticetus is a small peaceful Southeast Asian bagrid catfish that lives in shoals and suits larger peaceful communities.
- African Sharptooth Catfish Care GuideClarias gariepinus is a very large air-breathing African catfish farmed for food; its size and aggression make it unsuitable for home tanks.
- Walking Catfish Care GuideClarias batrachus is an air-breathing Asian catfish that can move over land; it is predatory and needs a secure, tight-fitting lid.
- Giant Pangasius Care GuidePangasius sanitwongsei is a critically endangered Mekong and Chao Phraya giant catfish that grows to about 3 m and is unsuited to home tanks
- Pyjama Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis flavitaeniatus is a Congo Basin catfish with yellow-and-brown horizontal banding, suited to soft to neutral water and caves.
- Ornate Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis ornatipinnis is a Congo Basin catfish with intricate marbled patterning and ornate banded fins, suited to soft to neutral water.
- Zambezi Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis zambezensis is a southern African squeaker from the Zambezi that shelters upside-down and tolerates a wide temperature range.
- One-Spot Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis notatus is a hardy Congo Basin catfish usually marked with a single dark flank spot, undemanding in soft to neutral water.
- Waterlot's Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis waterloti is a robust West African catfish often confused with S. ocellifer, suited to soft to neutral water and spacious tanks.
- Brichard's Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis brichardi is a striped rheophilic catfish from the lower Congo rapids that needs strong, well-oxygenated current.
- Large-Spot Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis ocellifer is a widespread West African catfish marked with large dark spots, reaching a substantial size in mature adults.
- Decorus Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis decorus is a large Congo Basin catfish with bold markings and an elongated dorsal-fin filament, suited to soft to neutral water.
- Lake Malawi Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis njassae is the only Synodontis endemic to Lake Malawi, a nocturnal catfish well matched to mbuna and other rift-lake cichlids.
- Granulosus Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis granulosus is a finely speckled catfish endemic to Lake Tanganyika, requiring hard alkaline water and robust tankmates.
- Dhont's Catfish Care GuideSynodontis dhonti is a large upside-down catfish endemic to Lake Tanganyika, suited to hard alkaline rift-lake aquariums with caves.
- Poll's Synodontis Care GuideSynodontis polli is a Lake Tanganyika endemic catfish with a spotted olive-brown body, suited to spacious tanks with Tanganyikan cichlids.
- Ancistomus snethlageae (L141) Care GuideAncistomus snethlageae (L141) is a mid-sized loricariid pleco from the Tapajós basin, requiring driftwood, caves and oxygen-rich water.
- Lasiancistrus heteracanthus Care GuideLasiancistrus heteracanthus is a loricariid pleco from the Río Napo basin that needs driftwood, caves and clean, well-oxygenated water.
- Chameleon Whiptail (Pseudohemiodon apithanos) Care GuidePseudohemiodon apithanos is a sand-dwelling whiptail catfish from the western Amazon, reaching about 14.5 cm SL.
- Giant Whiptail (Pseudohemiodon laticeps) Care GuidePseudohemiodon laticeps is a sand-dwelling whiptail catfish from the Paraná-Paraguay-Uruguay basins, reaching about 30 cm SL.
- Rubber Pleco Care GuideChaetostoma formosae is a Colombian rubbernose pleco from Orinoco piedmont streams that needs cool, well-oxygenated water.
- Heterodon Pleco (L172) Care GuideLeporacanthicus heterodon (L172) is a loricariid catfish from the Xingu River basin of Brazil with characteristic enlarged teeth.
- Spiny Cactus Pleco (Pseudacanthicus spinosus, L065) Care GuidePseudacanthicus spinosus is a spiny armoured catfish of the Amazon basin, a meat-eating loricariid reaching about 26 cm SL.
- Red Phantom Pleco (Pseudacanthicus pirarara, L024) Care GuidePseudacanthicus pirarara is a large spiny loricariid catfish from the Rio Xingu in Brazil, reaching about 40 cm.
- Vermiculated Sailfin Catfish (Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus) Care GuidePterygoplichthys disjunctivus is a large sailfin armoured catfish from the Madeira basin, widely invasive in tropical waters worldwide.
- Orinoco Sailfin Catfish (Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus) Care GuidePterygoplichthys multiradiatus is a heavy-bodied sailfin armoured catfish native to the Orinoco basin that needs a very large, well-filtered
- Snow Leopard Pleco (Pterygoplichthys anisitsi) Care GuidePterygoplichthys anisitsi is a large sailfin armoured catfish from the Paraguay-Parana system, treated by FishBase as a synonym of P. ambros