Panama hoplo
Hoplosternum punctatum
Also known as Spotted hoplo, Panama hoplo catfish
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–79°F
- 22–26°C
- pH
- 6.5–7.5
- Adult size
- 3.1 in
- 8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 30 gal
- 115 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Callichthyidae
- Origin
- Pacific slope rivers of Panama and the Atrato River basin in Colombia.
Overview
The Panama hoplo is a peaceful, air-breathing catfish for the bottom of a larger community tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
The Panama hoplo is one of the very few armored catfish that live west of the Andes.
Caring for the Panama hoplo
A Panama hoplo is fine alone or in a group. Give it a tank of at least 30 gal (115 L), with soft sand, wood and plants for cover.
Keep the water at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other meaty sinking foods.
Panama hoplos are peaceful and safe with other community fish. Males develop a much thicker pectoral spine than females, and their breast plates are joined. Females have a broad gap between the plates. Breeding them is moderately difficult.
Good to know
The Panama hoplo, Hoplosternum punctatum, is smaller than the common hoplo. It is often mislabeled in the trade as the porthole catfish, Dianema longibarbis. It is listed as Near Threatened because of its small range.
In the wild
The Panama hoplo lives in lowland rivers and streams on the Pacific side of Panama. Its range reaches into the Atrato River basin of northwestern Colombia. It forages over soft, muddy and sandy bottoms.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Panama hoplo 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.
Neocaridina shrimp
Neocaridina davidi
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 5 gal (19 L)59–84°F (15–29°C)
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
FreshwaterBrackish2.4 in (6 cm) · 10 gal (38 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Neon tetra
Paracheirodon innesi
Freshwater1.5 in (3.8 cm) · 11 gal (40 L)70–77°F (21–25°C)
Blackwing hatchetfish
Carnegiella marthae
Freshwater1.4 in (3.5 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)
Glass catfish
Kryptopterus vitreolus
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)
Firemouth cichlid
Thorichthys meeki
Freshwater5.9 in (15 cm) · 30 gal (115 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Panama hoplo need?
A Panama hoplo needs at least 30 gal (115 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Panama hoplo need?
A Panama hoplo is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.
What does a Panama hoplo eat?
A Panama hoplo eats sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other meaty sinking foods.
How big does a Panama hoplo get?
An adult Panama hoplo reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).
How can you tell a male Panama hoplo from a female?
Males have a much thicker pectoral spine than females, and their breast plates are joined. Females have a broad gap between the plates.
Related species
7.9 in (20 cm)40 gal (150 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Hoplo catfish
Hoplosternum littorale
7.9 in (20 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)40 gal (150 L)70–82°F (21–28°C)Emerald catfish
Brochis splendens
3.1 in (8 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)40 gal (150 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Robust cory
Brochis robusta
3.1 in (8 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)
3 in (7.5 cm)17 gal (63 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)Bronze cory
Osteogaster aenea
3 in (7.5 cm) · 17 gal (63 L)
3 in (7.5 cm)26 gal (100 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Geoffroy's cory
Corydoras geoffroy
3 in (7.5 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)
3 in (7.5 cm)26 gal (100 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Pantanal cory
Brochis pantanalensis
3 in (7.5 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)