Burmese marble bee catfish

Akysis prashadi

Also known as Prashadi bee cat, Indawgyi bee cat, Burmese marble catfish

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 2.8 in (7 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Common
Origin: Lake Indawgyi basin, Myanmar
Family: Akysidae

Overview

The largest of the bee catfish and big enough to share a tank with small rasboras and danios without being eaten. It buries itself in sand during the day and works the floor at night, so a soft substrate is essential. Keep a small group in 54 liters with sand, stone and cool-leaning water. Feed sinking foods and frozen bloodworm after lights out, since it will not compete at the surface.

In the wild

Akysis prashadi lives in the streams feeding Lake Indawgyi in northern Myanmar, in clear water over sand and gravel that stays cooler than most tropical tanks. Keep it at 22 to 26 degrees Celsius and pH 6.0 to 7.5, with gentle flow and clean water.

Good to know

Akysis prashadi reaches about 7 centimeters and carries a marbled brown pattern that breaks up its outline against sand. Akysid catfish have venomous pectoral spines that deliver a painful sting, so handle them in a container rather than a net. Breeding is not recorded in aquaria.

Did you know

It comes from the watershed of a lake sacred to Burmese pilgrims; the marble cat guards quiet water.

Tank mates

Burmese marble bee catfish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.