Craggy-head banjo catfish

Bunocephalus verrucosus

Also known as Craggy head banjo cat, Warty banjo catfish, Humpback banjo catfish

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 21 gal (80 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Common
Origin: Amazon and Guiana lowlands
Family: Aspredinidae

Overview

A banjo catfish does almost nothing visible by day, lying half-buried and looking like a piece of waterlogged bark, then works the floor methodically at night. Keep it in an 80 liter tank with soft sand it can bury into and leaf litter over the top. It is completely peaceful and will not harm any fish. Feed sinking foods and frozen bloodworm after dark, and check it is actually eating.

In the wild

Bunocephalus verrucosus lives in the lowland Amazon and Guiana Shield, in slow water over sand and thick leaf litter. Keep it at 23 to 28 degrees Celsius and pH 6.0 to 7.5, with a soft substrate. Sharp gravel prevents burying and is the single worst choice for this fish.

Good to know

Bunocephalus verrucosus reaches about 10 centimeters and is covered in wart-like tubercles that give it the craggy name and complete the debris camouflage. Aspredinid catfish have no scales and a body that tapers to a thin whip-like tail. Some relatives carry eggs attached to the belly, though breeding is not recorded for this species in tanks.

Did you know

Its head texture matches waterlogged bark so well that finding it is a party trick that fails.

Tank mates

Craggy-head banjo catfish is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.