TankBud

Mini shark cat

Pseudeutropius brachypopterus

Also known as Pygmy shark catfish

FreshwaterFish

Mini shark cat (Pseudeutropius brachypopterus)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–82°F
23–28°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
4.3 in
11 cm
Minimum tank
30 gal
112 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Schilbeidae
Origin
Rivers of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula

Overview

The mini shark cat is a small, peaceful catfish that shoals in the open midwater of a community tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The mini shark cat looks sharklike in profile and is sold as a miniature shark. In fact it is a peaceful catfish that shoals like a tetra.

Caring for the mini shark cat

Keep mini shark cats in a group of at least six, since they gain confidence in numbers. Single fish stay nervous and hidden. Give the group a mature, planted tank of at least 30 gal (112 L). Add driftwood tangles and dense planting at the sides, and leave an open central channel for swimming.

Hold the water at 73 to 82°F (23 to 28°C), soft to neutral, with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Give it moderate flow and efficient filtration. Feed small frozen and dried foods, such as bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp, micro pellets and flake.

The mini shark cat is always on the move in the open midwater. It is peaceful and fits a community of similarly sized calm fish, though it will eat very tiny fish or fry. Do not house it with large, boisterous tank mates that unsettle it. It is not known to breed in home aquariums.

Good to know

The mini shark cat, Pseudeutropius brachypopterus, is a small schilbeid catfish. It is silver, with an iridescent sheen and a keeled belly. The schilbeid catfishes are mainly an African group. This genus is one of their few Asian members, at home across the Greater Sunda region.

In the wild

The mini shark cat lives in the rivers and streams of Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and Borneo, favoring flowing, well-oxygenated water. There it feeds on small invertebrates and other drifting foods.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The mini shark cat is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. 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 mini shark cat need?

A mini shark cat needs at least 30 gal (112 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a mini shark cat need?

A mini shark cat is comfortable at 73–82°F (23–28°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a mini shark cat eat?

A mini shark cat eats small frozen and dried foods, such as bloodworm, daphnia, brine shrimp, micro pellets and flake.

How big does a mini shark cat get?

An adult mini shark cat reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).

Does a mini shark cat need a group?

Yes. A mini shark cat is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Related species