Silver lancer catfish

Care at a glance

Overview

This is an active, open-water catfish that swims in the middle of the tank rather than hiding on the bottom, and it does best in a small group of its own kind, which it will not squabble with. Reaching about 24 centimeters, it is peaceful toward tankmates it cannot eat, but small fish are treated as food, so keep it with sturdy, medium-sized companions. Give it plenty of open swimming length, a fine sand bed it can sift for food, and moderate flow. It takes most foods willingly, including sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and prawn, and even dried foods. A tank of around 400 liters with open space suits a small group.

In the wild

It comes from the Mekong and Chao Phraya river basins of Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, living in flowing, open stretches of large rivers. Recreate that with a long, open tank, a soft sand substrate, some driftwood along the edges, and a steady current. Keep the water warm at 23 to 27 C and soft to neutral, around pH 6.0 to 7.5. This is a swimmer that values open water and clean, moving conditions more than heavy decor.

Good to know

Mystus bocourti is a bagrid catfish, family Bagridae, described by Bleeker in 1864 and reaching about 24 centimeters. Its standout feature is an extraordinarily tall dorsal fin, formed by great elongation of the dorsal spine and the first few soft rays, whose purpose is not fully understood. Unusually for the genus it is an open-water swimmer. Breeding is not recorded in aquariums.

Did you know

Its 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.

Common questions

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