Leopard eel catfish

Ituglanis metae

Also known as Leopard pencil catfish

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 73–82°F (23–28°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 3.1 in (8 cm)
Minimum tank: 21 gal (80 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Meta drainage, Colombia
Family: Trichomycteridae

Overview

Keep this slim, spotted pencil catfish on its own, as it is not a group fish and spends most of the day hidden. It lives right on the bottom and likes to burrow, so a soft sand bed and shady cover of wood and leaf litter let it settle and come out to forage. It is peaceful and no threat to tankmates it cannot swallow, so pair it with small, calm community fish that will not outcompete it at feeding time. Feed sinking foods after dark, such as small pellets, frozen bloodworm, and other meaty items that reach the floor. A tank around 80 liters is enough for one.

In the wild

The leopard eel catfish comes from the Meta river drainage in the llanos of Colombia, threading through sand and leaf litter in warm, soft-water streams. Give it fine sand it can dig into, plenty of litter and wood for shade, and gentle, well-oxygenated flow. Aim for 23 to 28 C and a slightly acidic to neutral pH of 6.0 to 7.5, kept stable with regular water changes.

Good to know

Ituglanis metae is a member of Trichomycteridae, the pencil catfishes, and reaches around 8 centimeters. It is a free-living, harmless detritus and small-invertebrate feeder, despite belonging to the same family as the notorious parasitic candirus. Its aquarium breeding is not documented, so nothing reliable is known about how it spawns in a tank.

Did you know

It is a close relative of the candiru, the parasitic catfishes of Amazon legend, yet keeps none of their habits. The leopard eel catfish is a peaceful bottom forager that earns its living sifting sand and litter, not blood.