TankBud

Talking catfish

Acanthodoras spinosissimus

Also known as Chocolate talking catfish, Chocolate raphael, Spiny talking catfish

FreshwaterFish

Talking catfish (Acanthodoras spinosissimus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
26 gal
100 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Common
Family
Doradidae
Origin
Found in the Amazon and Essequibo river basins of northern South America.

Overview

The talking catfish is a hardy, peaceful bottom dweller, and an easy oddball to add to a community tank.

Did you know

Lift a talking catfish out of the water and it will often grunt and creak at you. The sound carries surprisingly well through the air.

Caring for the talking catfish

Give the talking catfish a tank of at least 26 gal (100 L) with a soft sand bottom. Add plenty of driftwood, leaf litter and dark caves for cover, since it spends much of the day out of sight.

Keep the water soft to neutral, at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworms and other meaty foods after the lights go out.

Talking catfish are peaceful, and one is fine alone or in a group. It will not bother tank mates it cannot swallow, but it may eat very small fish and shrimp at night. Take care when netting it, because its locking spines tangle badly and it can jab you. There is no record of it breeding in home tanks.

Good to know

Acanthodoras spinosissimus is a thorny catfish of the family Doradidae, armored with a row of bony, spined plates along each flank. Like other doradids, it makes audible grunts and creaks by grinding its pectoral spines and vibrating its swim bladder. It usually makes these sounds when it is handled or stressed.

In the wild

The talking catfish lives in slow, leaf-littered stretches of the Amazon and Essequibo river basins in northern South America. It roots through soft substrate and detritus for food. It is nocturnal and often buries itself during the day, leaving just its eyes showing.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The talking catfish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a talking catfish need?

A talking catfish needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a talking catfish need?

A talking catfish is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a talking catfish eat?

A talking catfish eats sinking pellets, frozen bloodworms and other meaty foods. Feed it after the lights go out.

How big does a talking catfish get?

An adult talking catfish reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

Related species