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Dragon-head whiptail

Rhadinoloricaria macromystax

Also known as Dragon head whiptail

FreshwaterFish

Dragon-head whiptail (Rhadinoloricaria macromystax)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
5.5–7.2
Adult size
5.7 in
14.5 cm
Minimum tank
40 gal
150 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Upper Amazon sand rivers, Peru and Ecuador

Overview

The dragon-head whiptail is a sand-dwelling catfish for a calm tank with a wide, open floor. It suits a keeper with some experience.

Did you know

Buried in the sand with only its face showing, the dragon-head whiptail is nearly invisible until feeding time. Then it rises and lifts a mask fringed with whisker-like barbels.

Caring for the dragon-head whiptail

Give dragon-head whiptails an open-floored tank of at least 40 gal (150 L) with gentle flow. A deep, broad bed of soft, fine sand they can bury into is essential. As with other sand whiptails, the substrate matters more than any planting or hardscape.

Keep the water clean and well oxygenated, soft and slightly acidic to neutral. Aim for 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.2.

They are slow and gentle at feeding time, so choose calm, non-competitive tank mates. Drop sinking pellets and soft meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm onto the sand.

Dragon-head whiptails are peaceful and best kept as a small group over open sand, where several can share the floor without trouble. There is no real record of them breeding in captivity.

Good to know

Rhadinoloricaria macromystax belongs to the family Loricariidae. Its name, macromystax, means large mustache, for the fringe of whisker-like filaments around its mouth that it uses while sifting the sand. It is a bottom-feeding detritivore, and it arrives in the hobby as a wild-caught fish.

In the wild

The dragon-head whiptail lives over sandy beds in clear and white-water rivers of the upper Amazon, in Peru and Ecuador. It feeds on the fine material in the sand.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The dragon-head whiptail is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a dragon-head whiptail need?

A dragon-head whiptail needs at least 40 gal (150 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a dragon-head whiptail need?

A dragon-head whiptail is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.

What does a dragon-head whiptail eat?

A dragon-head whiptail eats sinking pellets and soft meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm, dropped onto the sand. It is slow and gentle at feeding time.

How big does a dragon-head whiptail get?

An adult dragon-head whiptail reaches about 5.7 in (14.5 cm).

Does a dragon-head whiptail need a group?

Yes. A dragon-head whiptail is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Related species