TankBud

Giant brochis

Brochis britskii

Also known as Britski's catfish, Giant Emerald Green Cat

FreshwaterFish

Giant brochis (Brochis britskii)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
70–79°F
21–26°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
3.5 in
9 cm
Minimum tank
40 gal
150 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Brazil

Overview

The giant brochis is a large, deep bodied cory relative that still shoals, so keep at least six and give them ample floor space. They are peaceful and mix well with medium sized calm community fish, grazing the bottom in a loose group. Offer sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other meaty foods, plus some vegetable matter, making sure plenty reaches the substrate. Their bulk and numbers call for a roomy tank of around 150 liters or larger.

In the wild

Brochis britskii comes from the upper Paraguay basin in Brazil, living over sand and mud in warm, soft, slow moving water. Set up a soft sand bed, driftwood, and shaded planting, with clean, gently filtered water and open areas to forage. Keep the temperature between 21 and 26 C and the pH from about 6.0 to 7.5, with steady maintenance to keep the water clean.

Good to know

This stout armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae reaches around 9 cm and is among the largest members of its subfamily. It belongs to Brochis, distinguished from Corydoras by a far higher dorsal fin ray count: about 15 to 18 rays against the 6 to 8 of a typical cory. It is named for the Brazilian ichthyologist Heraldo Britski. Home spawning is seldom recorded, though the group lays adhesive eggs onto firm surfaces.

Did you know

One quick way to place a Brochis is to count the rays in its long dorsal fin: where an ordinary cory has six to eight, the giant brochis carries around fifteen to eighteen, giving it a tall, sail like fin and a heavier build.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Giant brochis is a peaceful, shoaling 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 Giant brochis need?

A Giant brochis needs at least 40 gal (150 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Giant brochis need?

A Giant brochis is comfortable at 70–79°F (21–26°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

How big does a Giant brochis get?

An adult Giant brochis reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).

Does a Giant brochis need a group?

Yes. A Giant brochis is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Related species