TankBud

Porthole catfish

Dianema longibarbis

FreshwaterFish

Porthole catfish (Dianema longibarbis)
Ckf6412 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.5–7.5
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
26 gal
100 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Callichthyidae
Origin
Amazon basin (Peru, Brazil)

Overview

Keep them in a group of at least four in a tank of 100 liters or more, since they are far more active and outgoing in a shoal. They are peaceful bottom dwellers that will not harm even tiny tankmates, so they suit a community of small, gentle fish. Hold the temperature between 24 and 28 C with soft, slightly acidic water from pH 5.5 to 7.5. Feed sinking pellets, frozen foods like bloodworms, and the odd bit of vegetable matter. They gulp air at the surface and will jump, so leave a gap of air under a tight lid.

In the wild

Porthole catfish come from the Amazon basin in Peru and Brazil, where they move along the soft bottoms of slow rivers and flooded forest pools. The water there is soft and slightly acidic, so aim for a pH between 5.5 and 7.5 and keep the temperature in the 24 to 28 C range. Give them a soft sand substrate, since coarse gravel wears down the long, sensitive barbels they use to feel for food. Add some driftwood and shaded cover to match the dim, tannin-stained water they live in.

Good to know

This is a member of the family Callichthyidae, the armored catfishes, growing to about 10 cm as an adult. It builds a bubble nest at the surface, but it is rarely bred in captivity, so most fish in the trade are wild caught. With good care it is long-lived and can stay with you for many years.

Did you know

Like other catfish in this family, the porthole catfish breathes air. It darts up to the surface, gulps a mouthful, and absorbs oxygen through the lining of its gut, which lets it cope with the low-oxygen pools it lives in. That habit is also why it needs both a snug lid and a gap of air beneath it.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Porthole catfish 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Porthole catfish need?

A Porthole catfish needs at least 26 gal (100 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a Porthole catfish need?

A Porthole catfish is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.5.

How big does a Porthole catfish get?

An adult Porthole catfish reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

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