TankBud

Chinese longsnout catfish

Leiocassis longirostris

Also known as Tachysurus longirostris, Tachysurus dumerili, Chinese sharp nose cat

FreshwaterFish

Chinese longsnout catfish (Leiocassis longirostris)
Gaeho77 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
61–79°F
16–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
27.6 in
70 cm
Minimum tank
264 gal
1,000 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Bagridae
Origin
Yangtze basin, China

Overview

The Chinese longsnout catfish is a large, cool-water river catfish and a project for experienced keepers only. Its size puts it well beyond a normal home aquarium.

Did you know

In China the Chinese longsnout catfish is a celebrated food fish, prized for its flavor. The largest recorded in the wild weighed around 15 kilograms.

Caring for the Chinese longsnout catfish

The Chinese longsnout catfish needs a very big tank, at least 264 gal (1,000 L), or a pond. A large footprint matters more than height. Give it a sand bed, a few big pieces of wood for shade, dim light and open floor to cruise at night.

It needs roomy, well-filtered, oxygen-rich water on the cool side, at 61 to 79°F (16 to 26°C). Keep the chemistry soft to neutral, at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed meaty sinking foods such as large pellets, earthworms, mussel and pieces of fish.

Keep it singly, as it is not a social species. It is slow and mostly peaceful, but it will eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth. Tank mates must be large and calm. Aquarium breeding is not recorded, though Chinese fish farms breed it commercially on a large scale.

Good to know

The Chinese longsnout catfish is a bagrid in the family Bagridae, also listed as Tachysurus dumerili and Tachysurus longirostris. Its species name, longirostris, describes the long, pointed snout on its pale pinkish body. It is a demersal, nocturnal river fish that reaches a weight of several kilograms. Wild stocks have declined from dams, pollution and overfishing.

In the wild

The Chinese longsnout catfish is native to the Yangtze basin of China. It lives in the cool, flowing main channel and larger tributaries, over sand and mud.

Common questions

What size tank does a Chinese longsnout catfish need?

A Chinese longsnout catfish needs at least 264 gal (1,000 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Chinese longsnout catfish need?

A Chinese longsnout catfish is comfortable at 61–79°F (16–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a Chinese longsnout catfish eat?

A Chinese longsnout catfish eats meaty sinking foods such as large pellets, earthworms, mussel and pieces of fish. It will also eat any tank mate small enough to fit in its mouth.

How big does a Chinese longsnout catfish get?

An adult Chinese longsnout catfish reaches about 27.6 in (70 cm).

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