TankBud

Giant whiptail catfish

Sturisomatichthys aureus

Also known as Giant farlowella, Golden whiptail, Royal farlowella

FreshwaterFish

Giant whiptail catfish (Sturisomatichthys aureus)
Richard Bartz, Munich aka Makro Freak · CC BY-SA 2.5

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
7.9 in
20 cm
Minimum tank
53 gal
200 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Herbivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Egg layer · Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
Colombia (Magdalena, San Jorge, Cesar river basins)

Overview

The giant whiptail catfish is a long, peaceful grazer for the bottom of a calm community tank. It suits a keeper with a little experience.

Did you know

On a giant whiptail catfish, most of what looks like body is actually tail. The trailing filament can make up a good share of the fish's total length.

Caring for the giant whiptail catfish

Give giant whiptail catfish a tank of at least 53 gal (200 L) with a long footprint and plenty of open floor. A long tank matters more than a tall one. Lay down fine sand and add bogwood for them to graze on.

Keep the water clean, well oxygenated and on the cooler side, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. They do not tolerate warm water. Gentle flow suits them.

They are nocturnal grazers that come alive when the lights go out. Through the night they work the sand and wood for algae and biofilm. Feed a vegetable-based diet of algae wafers and blanched vegetables, along with the biofilm on the bogwood.

Keep them in a small group, though a single fish does fine too. They are peaceful and social, so pair them with other calm, similarly peaceful tank mates. Breeding is doable but takes some work, and the male guards the eggs until they hatch.

Good to know

This whiptail catfish belongs to the family Loricariidae and is also sold as the giant farlowella, golden whiptail or royal farlowella. It grows slowly and lives a long time in stable, well-oxygenated water.

In the wild

Giant whiptail catfish come from the Magdalena, San Jorge and Cesar river basins of Colombia. There they graze along the bottom over sand and submerged wood.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The giant whiptail catfish is a peaceful, social 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 whiptail catfish need?

A giant whiptail catfish needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a giant whiptail catfish need?

A giant whiptail catfish is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a giant whiptail catfish eat?

A giant whiptail catfish grazes algae and biofilm, mostly through the night. Feed it a vegetable-based diet of algae wafers and blanched vegetables, plus the biofilm on bogwood.

How big does a giant whiptail catfish get?

An adult giant whiptail catfish reaches about 7.9 in (20 cm).

How does a giant whiptail catfish breed?

A giant whiptail catfish lays eggs, and the male guards them until they hatch. Breeding it is doable but takes some work.

Related species