TankBud

Silver lancer catfish

Mystus bocourti

Also known as Bocourt's lancer

FreshwaterFish

Silver lancer catfish (Mystus bocourti)

Care at a glance

Temperature
73–81°F
23–27°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
9.4 in
24 cm
Minimum tank
106 gal
400 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
No record
Rarity
Rare
Family
Bagridae
Origin
Mekong and Chao Phraya basins

Overview

The silver lancer catfish is an active, sociable bagrid for a large, open tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

The silver lancer catfish's most striking feature is a greatly elongated dorsal fin that stands up like a tall banner. Biologists are not sure what it is for, but it gives the fish its lancer name.

Caring for the silver lancer catfish

Keep silver lancer catfish in a small group of their own kind, which they will not squabble with. A group needs at least 106 gal (400 L) and a long tank with plenty of open swimming length. Give them a fine sand bed they can sift for food and some driftwood along the edges. They value open water and clean, moving conditions more than heavy decor.

Keep the water warm at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C), soft to neutral, with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. A steady, moderate current suits them. They take most foods willingly, including sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and prawn, and even dried foods.

This catfish is peaceful toward tank mates it cannot eat, but small fish are treated as food. Keep it with sturdy, medium-sized companions. Breeding is not recorded in aquariums.

Good to know

Mystus bocourti is a bagrid catfish in the family Bagridae, described by Bleeker in 1864. Its tall dorsal fin forms from a great elongation of the dorsal spine and the first few soft rays. Unusually for its genus, it is an open-water swimmer.

In the wild

The silver lancer catfish comes from the Mekong and Chao Phraya river basins of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. It lives in flowing, open stretches of large rivers.

Common questions

What size tank does a silver lancer catfish need?

A silver lancer catfish needs at least 106 gal (400 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a silver lancer catfish need?

A silver lancer catfish is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a silver lancer catfish eat?

A silver lancer catfish takes most foods willingly, including sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and prawn, and even dried foods.

How big does a silver lancer catfish get?

An adult silver lancer catfish reaches about 9.4 in (24 cm).

Related species