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Chameleon whiptail

Pseudohemiodon apithanos

Also known as Apithanos whiptail

FreshwaterFish

Chameleon whiptail (Pseudohemiodon apithanos)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.8–7.0
Adult size
6.7 in
17 cm
Minimum tank
79 gal
300 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg carrier · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Upper Amazon, Ecuador and Colombia

Overview

The chameleon whiptail is a flat, peaceful catfish that spends its life on the bottom, often half-buried in sand. It suits a wide, calm tank and a keeper with some experience.

Did you know

The chameleon whiptail can shift its color and pattern within moments, trading bold dark saddles for plain sandy tones. That quick change is where the chameleon name comes from.

Caring for the chameleon whiptail

Give chameleon whiptails a wide, open-floored tank of at least 79 gal (300 L). A deep bed of soft, fine sand matters more than anything else, since they bury themselves in it to feel safe. Sharp gravel or a bare floor will not do.

Keep the water clean and well oxygenated, with gentle flow and some shade. It should be soft and acidic to neutral, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) with a pH of 5.8 to 7.0.

Chameleon whiptails are peaceful and do fine alone or in a group, and a few can share a tank when the floor space allows. They are shy and slow to feed, and they will not fight for a meal. Keep them only with calm, non-aggressive fish. Drop sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other soft foods onto the sand.

The chameleon whiptail is a lip brooder. After spawning, the male scoops up the large eggs. He carries them stuck to the underside of his head and body for around two weeks. Experienced keepers have bred it in aquariums with moderate difficulty.

Good to know

Pseudohemiodon apithanos is a member of the family Loricariidae. Its species name, apithanos, means unbelievable. Only a handful of catfishes share its lip-brooding habit.

In the wild

The chameleon whiptail comes from soft, slow tributaries of the upper Amazon in Ecuador and Colombia. It lies buried in the fine sand of these rivers.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The chameleon whiptail 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 chameleon whiptail need?

A chameleon whiptail needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a chameleon whiptail need?

A chameleon whiptail is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.8–7.0.

What does a chameleon whiptail eat?

A chameleon whiptail eats sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other soft foods dropped onto the sand. It is shy and slow to feed, and it will not fight for a meal.

How big does a chameleon whiptail get?

An adult chameleon whiptail reaches about 6.7 in (17 cm).

How does a chameleon whiptail breed?

The chameleon whiptail is a lip brooder. After spawning, the male carries the large eggs stuck to the underside of his head and body for around two weeks. Experienced keepers have bred it with moderate difficulty.

Related species