Dragon bagrid catfish
Hemibagrus olyroides
Also known as Olyroides catfish, Dragon catfish
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 7.9 in
- 20 cm
- Minimum tank
- 79 gal
- 300 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Bagridae
- Origin
- Sundaland rivers, Malaysia and Indonesia
Overview
The dragon bagrid catfish is a hardy, mostly nocturnal bottom catfish for a dim, wooded tank with robust company. It is not a beginner fish, but it is one of the more manageable members of its genus.
Did you know
The dragon bagrid catfish belongs to Hemibagrus, a genus with some of Asia's most notorious tank-buster catfish. Relatives such as Hemibagrus wyckii and Hemibagrus wyckioides grow well over a meter, but this species stayed small and slim.
Caring for the dragon bagrid catfish
Give the dragon bagrid catfish a tank of around 79 gal (300 L), with cover and open floor. Driftwood, caves, a sand bed, some leaf litter and subdued lighting give it shelter by day. Cover and low light do more for its confidence than open space.
Keep the water warm, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C), and soft to neutral at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It proves adaptable in the aquarium. Feed meaty sinking foods, frozen items and the occasional earthworm in the evening.
Keep it singly, since it is a solitary, territorial fish rather than a group species. It is an opportunist that will eat any fish small enough to swallow, though it leaves larger tank mates alone. House it only with robust, medium to large companions. Breeding is not recorded in aquariums.
Good to know
The dragon bagrid catfish is a bagrid in the family Bagridae, described by Tyson Roberts in 1989. Its name, olyroides, means resembling Olyra, another slender bagrid genus. It is also sold as the dragon catfish, and stock in the trade is wild caught.
In the wild
The dragon bagrid catfish comes from blackwater rivers and streams in Borneo, including the Kapuas, Kayan and Sebangau drainages. The water there is soft, tannin-stained and shaded by forest.
Common questions
What size tank does a dragon bagrid catfish need?
A dragon bagrid catfish needs at least 79 gal (300 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a dragon bagrid catfish need?
A dragon bagrid catfish is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a dragon bagrid catfish eat?
A dragon bagrid catfish eats meaty sinking foods, frozen items and the occasional earthworm, best offered in the evening. It will also eat any fish small enough to swallow.
How big does a dragon bagrid catfish get?
An adult dragon bagrid catfish reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).
Related species
25.6 in (65 cm)185 gal (700 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Redtail bagrid
Hemibagrus nemurus
25.6 in (65 cm) · 185 gal (700 L)
39.4 in (100 cm)450 gal (1,703 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Asian redtail catfish
Hemibagrus wyckioides
39.4 in (100 cm) · 450 gal (1,703 L)
7.9 in (20 cm)79 gal (300 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)White whisker lancer catfish
Bagrichthys majusculus
7.9 in (20 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)
8.3 in (21 cm)60 gal (227 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Striped mystus
Mystus vittatus
8.3 in (21 cm) · 60 gal (227 L)
7.5 in (19 cm)79 gal (300 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Hi-fin mystus
Mystus falcarius
7.5 in (19 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)
7.1 in (18 cm)42 gal (160 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Golden soldier catfish
Mystus tengara
7.1 in (18 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)