Rusty moth catfish

Pseudolaguvia muricata

Also known as Muricata moth cat

FreshwaterFish

Rusty moth catfish (Pseudolaguvia muricata) — The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–79°F (20–26°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.2 in (3 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: No record
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Brahmaputra lowlands, Bangladesh
Family: Erethistidae

Overview

The rusty moth catfish is a tiny, rust-toned bottom dweller for a mature, gentle nano floor, where it works the sand and grazes biofilm. It is peaceful and gregarious, so keep a small group with calm, small companions that will not outcompete it, or a species tank. It is shy and night-active, so feed tiny sinking foods at night, such as microworm, daphnia, baby brine shrimp and finely crushed wafers, and make sure food reaches the substrate. A mature, gently filtered tank of at least 40 liters with fine sand and leaf litter suits a group.

In the wild

It comes from sandy margins and gentle runs of lowland streams in the Brahmaputra drainage of Bangladesh, over fine sand with some litter. Recreate that with a soft sand bottom, leaves and roots for shelter, and calm, well oxygenated flow. Keep the water soft to medium and close to neutral, around pH 6.0 to 7.5, at 20 to 26 C, with subdued light and stable, mature conditions.

Good to know

Pseudolaguvia muricata is a moth catfish in the family Erethistidae, staying around 3 cm, described from the Brahmaputra drainage of Bangladesh. Unlike the strongly banded members of its genus it is a plainer, rust-dusted fish, told apart by fine details of its skin and skull. Its breeding is not recorded in aquaria, and it is kept as a peaceful, cryptic oddity.

Did you know

It is armoured in miniature. The name muricata means spiny or rough, like a murex shell, describing the field of tiny tubercles that stud this catfish's skin, an armour too fine to see without a close look.