Chameleon whiptail

Pseudohemiodon apithanos

Also known as Apithanos whiptail

FreshwaterFish

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: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Upper Amazon, Ecuador and Colombia
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

The chameleon whiptail is a flat, sand-dwelling catfish that is peaceful and gregarious, so a few can share a tank when the floor space allows; they spend their lives on the bottom, often half-buried in sand. The substrate is the single most important thing: a deep bed of soft, fine sand they can sink into. Keep them only with calm, non-aggressive fish, since they are shy and slow to feed and will not fight for a meal. Offer sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other soft foods dropped onto the sand. Give them a wide, open-floored tank of at least 300 liters.

In the wild

This whiptail comes from soft, slow tributaries of the upper Amazon in Ecuador and Colombia, where it lies buried in fine sand. Its tank needs a deep layer of soft, fine sand above all else, with gentle flow, some shade and clean, well-oxygenated water. Keep it soft and acidic to neutral, roughly pH 5.8 to 7.0, and warm at about 24 to 28 C. Sharp gravel or a bare floor will not do, since it needs to bury itself to feel safe.

Good to know

Pseudohemiodon apithanos is a member of Loricariidae and reaches about 17 centimeters. It can shift its color and pattern within moments, trading bold dark saddles for plain sandy tones, which earns it the chameleon name; the species name apithanos means unbelievable. It is a lip brooder, and it has been bred in aquaria with moderate difficulty by experienced keepers.

Did you know

After spawning, the male scoops up the large eggs and carries them stuck to the underside of his head and body for around two weeks, a lip-brooding habit found in only a handful of catfishes.