TankBud

Brown-point shield skin

Aspidoras fuscoguttatus

FreshwaterFish

Brown-point shield skin (Aspidoras fuscoguttatus)
Juan Felipe · CC BY 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–77°F
22–25°C
pH
6.0–7.2
Adult size
1.5 in
3.8 cm
Minimum tank
13 gal
50 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Brazil

Overview

The brown-point shield skin is a tiny, timid Aspidoras catfish for the bottom of a quiet community tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

The brown-point shield skin's species name, fuscoguttatus, is Latin for dusky spotted. It describes the scatter of small brown points across its cream body, which is exactly where the common name comes from.

Caring for the brown-point shield skin

Keep brown-point shield skins in a group of at least six, and more where you can, since they gain confidence only in numbers. A quiet tank of 13 gal (50 L) or more, with plenty of cover, suits such a small, shy fish. Use a soft sand bed to protect their delicate barbels, and add driftwood, dried leaves and shady plants.

Keep the water slightly acidic and clean, with gentle filtration, at 72 to 77°F (22 to 25°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.2. Offer finely sinking foods, such as micro pellets, crushed wafers and small frozen items like daphnia and cyclops.

This timid fish works the sand bed all day with its barbels. Choose peaceful, undersized tank mates that will not bully it or steal its share. Captive breeding is essentially unrecorded. Aspidoras lay sticky eggs, which the female tucks briefly between her pelvic fins.

Good to know

The brown-point shield skin is a small armored catfish in the family Callichthyidae and belongs to the genus Aspidoras. Two rows of bony plates armor each side of its body.

In the wild

The brown-point shield skin comes from soft, warm streams of the upper Parana River basin in Brazil. It lives over fine sand among leaf litter and wood.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The brown-point shield skin is a peaceful, shoaling 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 brown-point shield skin need?

A brown-point shield skin needs at least 13 gal (50 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a brown-point shield skin need?

A brown-point shield skin is comfortable at 72–77°F (22–25°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.2.

What does a brown-point shield skin eat?

A brown-point shield skin eats finely sinking foods, such as micro pellets and crushed wafers. It also takes small frozen items like daphnia and cyclops.

How big does a brown-point shield skin get?

An adult brown-point shield skin reaches about 1.5 in (3.8 cm).

Does a brown-point shield skin need a group?

Yes. A brown-point shield skin is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How does a brown-point shield skin breed?

Captive breeding of the brown-point shield skin is essentially unrecorded. Aspidoras lay sticky eggs, and the female tucks each one briefly between her pelvic fins.

Related species