Shadow catfish

Care at a glance

Overview

The shadow catfish is a tiny, unusually day-active catfish that shoals in open water rather than hiding on the bottom. It is peaceful toward everything and stays under 5 cm, so keep it in a group of at least six, ideally more, where it will hover and drift together in midwater. It suits a calm community of small, gentle fish and soft-water shrimp. Offer small foods that stay in the water column, such as micro pellets, crushed flake, frozen cyclops, and baby brine shrimp. Give it a well-planted tank with some floating cover to diffuse the light, and it does not need much room, around 50 liters or larger for a small shoal.

In the wild

The shadow catfish comes from Sumatra and Borneo, living in soft, acidic blackwater rivers where large shoals hover beneath floating plants and among submerged grasses. Recreate that with warm water from around 21 to 26 C, a soft, acidic pH between 5.5 and 7.5, and gentle flow. Dense planting, driftwood, dried leaves, and floating cover to shade the surface let it feel secure and stay out in the open. A tannin tint from botanicals suits it well and brings out its pale golden shimmer.

Good to know

The shadow catfish belongs to Bagridae and is one of the smallest members of the family, reaching only about 4.5 cm. Unusually for a catfish it is diurnal and spends its day swimming in loose shoals in open water, with a slim, semi-transparent, faintly golden body. In the wild it hovers in midwater under cover, feeding on tiny invertebrates. It is a delicate, uncommon fish, and there are no established records of it breeding in home aquariums.

Did you know

Most catfishes are nocturnal loners, but the shadow catfish breaks the mould. It is active by day and lives in shoals, hovering together in open midwater beneath floating plants rather than skulking along the bottom.

Related species

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• 

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