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Asian bumblebee catfish

Pseudomystus siamensis

Also known as Shovelnose Bee Cat

FreshwaterFish

Asian bumblebee catfish (Pseudomystus siamensis)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–79°F
20–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
115 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Bagridae
Origin
Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam

Overview

The Asian bumblebee catfish is a banded bottom catfish for a shaded tank with larger, sturdy company. It suits a keeper with some experience.

Did you know

The Asian bumblebee catfish's black and yellow bands are camouflage, not warning colors. They help it blend into a tangle of sunken roots and shadow while it waits for night to hunt.

Caring for the Asian bumblebee catfish

Keep the Asian bumblebee catfish in a tank of 30 gal (115 L) or larger. Furnish it with plenty of shaded cover, driftwood, roots and dense planting around the edges, over a soft substrate. Give it caves, pipes or wood to claim as a daytime retreat. Gentle flow and subdued lighting encourage it to leave its hiding spot and forage in the evening.

Keep the water at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed meaty sinking foods after dark, such as frozen prawn, mussel and earthworms. It hunts by scent, so it adapts well to prepared foods.

This nocturnal, territorial loner is best kept as a single fish. It is calm toward larger midwater fish but squabbles with other bottom dwellers and its own kind. It will eat any fish small enough to swallow, so avoid slim tetras, small rasboras and shrimp. Good companions are sturdy, active fish at least half its size that live higher in the tank.

Like most bagrids, it has strong, mildly venomous fin spines that can snag a net, so handle it with care. There are no reliable records of it breeding in home aquariums.

Good to know

The Asian bumblebee catfish is a member of Bagridae, the naked or bagrid catfishes, and is also sold as the shovelnose bee cat. Its banding fades with age and mood. It is a slow-growing, long-lived fish.

In the wild

The Asian bumblebee catfish is native to the Mekong region, across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. It lives in slow-moving rivers, canals and seasonally flooded forest, where the water is warm, soft and slightly acidic to neutral.

Common questions

What size tank does an Asian bumblebee catfish need?

An Asian bumblebee catfish needs at least 30 gal (115 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Asian bumblebee catfish need?

An Asian bumblebee catfish is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does an Asian bumblebee catfish eat?

An Asian bumblebee catfish eats meaty sinking foods such as frozen prawn, mussel and earthworms, given after dark. It finds food by scent and adapts well to prepared foods.

How big does an Asian bumblebee catfish get?

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

Related species