TankBud

Loach catfish

Aspidoras rochai

FreshwaterFish

Loach catfish (Aspidoras rochai)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
70–77°F
21–25°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
1.7 in
4.4 cm
Minimum tank
15 gal
55 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Brazil

Overview

The loach catfish is a little, shy Aspidoras that shoals on the bottom of a quiet community tank. It is a step beyond the beginner fish.

Did you know

The loach catfish, Aspidoras rochai, is the fish on which the whole genus Aspidoras was founded, back in 1907. Its species name honors Francisco Dias da Rocha, who supplied the original specimen from Ceara, Brazil.

Caring for the loach catfish

Keep loach catfish in a group of at least six, since this shy fish needs the security of company. A quiet, well planted tank of 15 gal (55 L) or more suits a group. Give them soft sand, driftwood, dried leaves and some shade.

Keep the water clean and gently moving, at 70 to 77°F (21 to 25°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Regular water changes keep this sensitive fish comfortable.

They stay busy on the bottom, combing fine sand with their barbels. Offer finely sinking foods such as micro pellets, crushed wafers, and small frozen daphnia and cyclops. Make sure the food reaches the floor.

Keep them with peaceful, small tank mates that will not outcompete them. Captive spawning is essentially unrecorded. Aspidoras lay adhesive eggs, which the female carries briefly between her pelvic fins.

Good to know

The loach catfish is a small armored catfish of the family Callichthyidae. Members of its genus, Aspidoras, carry two skull fontanels rather than the single one found in Corydoras.

In the wild

The loach catfish lives in shallow coastal streams of Ceara, in northeastern Brazil. It is found there over sand and among leaf litter.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The loach catfish 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 loach catfish need?

A loach catfish needs at least 15 gal (55 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a loach catfish need?

A loach catfish is comfortable at 70–77°F (21–25°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a loach catfish eat?

A loach catfish eats finely sinking foods, such as micro pellets, crushed wafers, and small frozen daphnia and cyclops. Make sure the food reaches the floor.

How big does a loach catfish get?

An adult loach catfish reaches about 1.7 in (4.4 cm).

Does a loach catfish need a group?

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

How does a loach catfish breed?

The loach catfish has almost no recorded captive spawning. Aspidoras lay adhesive eggs, which the female carries briefly between her pelvic fins.

Related species