Eigenmann's whiptail

Rineloricaria eigenmanni

Also known as Colombian whiptail

FreshwaterFish

Eigenmann's whiptail (Rineloricaria eigenmanni) — Ckf6412 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.4
Adult size: 4.7 in (12 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Orinoco llanos, Colombia and Venezuela
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

Eigenmann's whiptail is a slim, peaceful catfish that is easy to keep and gregarious, so a small group does well together. It rests on sand and wood and grazes biofilm and algae off surfaces around the tank. Gentle and community-safe, it mixes with other calm, small fish. Feed it vegetable foods such as blanched zucchini and spinach, along with soft sinking pellets and some meaty food now and then. It is one of the more approachable whiptails to breed, and a tank of around 110 liters with sand, twiggy wood and a length of pipe suits it well.

In the wild

This whiptail comes from the Orinoco llanos of Colombia and Venezuela, living on sandy creek beds among twigs and leaf litter in warm, gently flowing water. A tank with a sand floor, slender branches and some cover recreates its home. Soft to neutral water near pH 6.0 to 7.4 and a warm 24 to 28 C keep it in good shape. It is undemanding as long as the water is clean and stable, and it appreciates narrow tubes or caves to spawn in.

Good to know

Rineloricaria eigenmanni is a member of Loricariidae and reaches about 12 centimeters, a slender twig mimic named for the ichthyologist Carl Eigenmann. Its genus is one of the most keepable and breedable among the whiptails. It has been bred in aquaria with moderate difficulty, spawning inside narrow tubes or caves, after which the male guards and fans the eggs until they hatch.

Did you know

Its genus is famous for taking to a simple length of pipe: drop a narrow PVC tube into the tank and a male will often adopt it as a spawning cave and guard the eggs inside.