Panama hoplo

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep Panama hoplos in a group over soft sand with wood and plants for cover, in water around 22 to 26 C. They are peaceful, air breathing catfish that suit a larger community. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and other meaty sinking foods.

In the wild

The Panama hoplo lives in lowland rivers and streams on the Pacific side of Panama and into northwestern Colombia. It forages over soft, muddy and sandy bottoms and gulps air at the surface. It is one of the few armored catfish found west of the Andes.

Good to know

This species is smaller than the common hoplo and is often mislabeled in the trade as the porthole catfish, Dianema longibarbis. Males develop a much thicker pectoral spine and joined breast plates, while females have a broad gap between the plates. It is listed as Near Threatened because of its small range.

Did you know

The Panama hoplo is one of the very few armored catfish that live west of the Andes, and it is often sold under the wrong name.

Related species

• 

  Hoplo catfish

  Hoplosternum littorale

  7.9 in (20 cm)40 gal (150 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Emerald catfish

  Corydoras splendens

  3.1 in (8 cm)40 gal (150 L)70–82°F (21–28°C)
• Robust cory

  Corydoras robustus

  3.1 in (8 cm)40 gal (150 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Bronze cory

  Corydoras aeneus

  3 in (7.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)70–81°F (21–27°C)

• 

  Hognosed brochis

  Brochis multiradiatus

  3.5 in (9 cm)40 gal (150 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)
• Giant Brochis

  Brochis britskii

  3.5 in (9 cm)40 gal (150 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)