Whiptail Catfish (Rineloricaria lanceolata) Breeding Guide

Breeding the Whiptail Catfish (Rineloricaria lanceolata): sexing by head and pectoral odontodes, tube/cave spawning, male egg-guarding and fry rearing on greens.

Overview

Rineloricaria lanceolata is a flat-bodied, bottom-dwelling loricariid catfish. The genus Rineloricaria are cavity brooders in which the male guards the eggs, and R. lanceolata spawns readily in narrow tubes or caves with the male taking sole charge of the brood.

Sexing

Mature males develop odontodes on the head and pectoral spines, which are lacking in females; across the genus the male's pectoral spine is often thicker, shorter and curved compared with the female's.

Conditioning

Condition the fish well and provide stable water. The breeding trigger mimics the seasonal influx of cooler rainy-season water.

Breeding Setup

Provide lengths of narrow tube (less than about 2 inches in diameter) to serve as spawning caves; the male selects and cleans the cave. The spawning tube can be relocated to protect the eggs and fry from other fish.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

A large 50-70% water change with cool water, simulating the rainy-season inflow, repeated every few days, often induces spawning. The female deposits eggs in the cave, which the male then fertilises; in the genus, eggs are laid attached together in single-layer masses (often more than 100) on the cavity floor.

Egg & Fry Care

The male guards the eggs and fans them with his fins while the female provides no further care. Eggs hatch within four to five days and the fry become free-swimming two to three days later, at which point the male can be removed. The young immediately browse on cucumber, spinach and other greens, and also take microworm and brine shrimp nauplii; daily water changes are recommended because the fry are sensitive to water quality.

Common Challenges

Keeping the fry fed on suitable greens and maintaining clean water with daily changes are the key requirements, and the spawning tube may need to be moved to keep eggs and fry safe from tankmates.