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Elongate moth catfish

Hara horai

Also known as Erethistes horai, Hora's moth cat

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–79°F (20–26°C)
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
3.1 in (8 cm)
Minimum tank
14 gal (54 L)
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Origin
Ganges foothill streams
Family
Erethistidae

Overview

The elongate moth catfish is a stretched, cryptic bottom dweller with the same freeze-first habit as its kin, tucked into litter and wood by day. It is peaceful and settles best in a small group, kept with calm, similarly sized fish that will not compete hard for food, or in a species tank. Being night-active, it takes fine sinking foods after dark, such as frozen bloodworm, daphnia, baby brine shrimp and sinking pellets, so make sure enough drifts down to the floor. Provide a quiet, mature tank of at least 54 liters with soft sand, driftwood and leaf litter.

In the wild

It keeps to litter beds and stony runs in clear foothill streams below the eastern Himalayas in northeast India, in gentle, well oxygenated current. Recreate that with a soft sand bottom, drifts of leaves, roots and smooth stones for cover, and steady but calm flow. Keep the water soft to medium and close to neutral, around pH 6.0 to 7.5, at 20 to 26 C, with dim lighting.

Good to know

Hara horai is a moth catfish in the family Erethistidae, reaching about 8 cm on a notably slender, drawn-out body that sets it apart from the stubbier moth cats. It is a nocturnal, bottom-hugging fish of clear foothill streams. Its breeding is not recorded in aquaria, and like other Hara it is a peaceful oddity kept for its unusual shape rather than bred.

Did you know

It carries a specialist's name. Hara horai honours Sunder Lal Hora, the ichthyologist who worked out how torrent-dwelling fishes grip stone in fast water, though his namesake moth cat prefers to simply hold still.

Tank mates

Elongate moth catfish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does an Elongate moth catfish need?

An Elongate moth catfish needs at least 14 gal (54 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH do Elongate moth catfish need?

Elongate moth catfish are comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

How big do Elongate moth catfish get?

An adult Elongate moth catfish reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

Freshwater fish · Community fish · Bottom dwellers

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