Clown gagata catfish

Gagata dolichonema

Also known as Clown cat gagata

FreshwaterFish

Clown gagata catfish (Gagata dolichonema) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–79°F (20–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 5.1 in (13 cm)
Minimum tank: 42 gal (160 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Irrawaddy and upper Salween basins
Family: Sisoridae

Overview

The clown gagata is an unusual sisorid: instead of clinging to stone alone, it schools and hangs just above the bottom in open, flowing water. It is social and must be kept in a group of six or more, or it grows nervous and hides. Give it a wide stretch of open sand and strong current to swim against. It is peaceful with similar-sized, flow-loving tankmates and is no threat to them. Feed sinking foods that drift in the flow, frozen bloodworm, small pellets, and worms. A tank of around 160 liters or more with a long open floor and brisk, oxygen-rich flow suits a school.

In the wild

Gagata dolichonema lives in large, fast rivers of the Irrawaddy and upper Salween basins, moving in loose shoals over clean sand and gravel in strong current. A tank with an open sandy floor, few obstacles, and strong flow copies that best. Keep the water cool, clean, and well oxygenated at 20–26 C and around pH 6.0–7.5, and avoid sharp decor that could scuff its belly as it settles.

Good to know

Gagata dolichonema is a member of Sisoridae, the Asian hillstream and torrent catfishes, reaching about 13 centimeters, silver with dark saddle marks and long, trailing nasal barbels. It has not been bred in the aquarium. Unlike the rock-clinging torrent cats it shares a family with, this genus is a free-swimming, shoaling sand-dweller.

Did you know

Most sisorids are loners that grip a rock and wait. Gagata breaks the pattern, cruising open sandy river beds in coordinated shoals more like a schooling minnow than a torrent catfish.