Dwarf bumblebee catfish

Care at a glance

Overview

The dwarf bumblebee catfish is a small, peaceful bagrid that stays under 7 cm and can be kept in a small group, since it is gregarious and settles better with others of its kind. It is a gentle bottom-forager that eats small invertebrates and will not bother fish it cannot swallow, though very small fry and shrimp may be at risk. It suits a quiet community of small, calm fish. Give it caves, wood, and leaf litter to explore, and feed small sinking foods such as micro pellets, frozen bloodworms, and cyclops after dark. A tank of around 75 liters or larger is plenty for a small group.

In the wild

The dwarf bumblebee catfish comes from the Malay Peninsula and Borneo, where it lives in soft, acidic, tannin-stained peat swamps and shaded forest streams thick with leaf litter and submerged roots. Keep it warm, from around 21 to 25 C, with a soft, gently acidic pH between 6 and 7.5. A dim, blackwater-style layout with driftwood, dried leaves, and dense planting around open foraging space mimics its home. Botanicals that tint the water and soften the light bring out its confidence and colour.

Good to know

The dwarf bumblebee catfish is a member of Bagridae and is one of the smallest naked catfishes in the trade, reaching only about 6 cm. Its dark body is crossed by pale yellowish bands, a miniature version of the pattern seen in its larger bumblebee relatives. In the wild it is a shoaling fish of blackwater habitats, feeding on tiny aquatic invertebrates. Its breeding has not been documented in aquariums, and it is only occasionally available to hobbyists.

Did you know

Despite the bumblebee pattern it shares with much larger catfishes, this species tops out at around 6 cm, making it one of the smallest bagrid catfishes kept in the hobby and a rare peaceful, group-friendly member of a family full of loners.

Related species

• Asian bumblebee catfish

  Pseudomystus siamensis

  5.9 in (15 cm)30 gal (115 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
• Two-spot catfish

  Mystus bimaculatus

  4.7 in (12 cm)30 gal (114 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
• Shadow catfish

  Hyalobagrus flavus

  1.8 in (4.5 cm)13 gal (50 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)

• 

  Striped mystus

  Mystus vittatus

  8.3 in (21 cm)60 gal (227 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
• Black lancer catfish

  Bagrichthys macracanthus

  9.1 in (23 cm)55 gal (210 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
• Asian upside-down catfish

  Mystus leucophasis

  11.8 in (30 cm)50 gal (190 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)