Southern tandan

Care at a glance

Overview

A robust eel-tailed catfish for a big tank, active along the bottom at night and shy of bright light. It is not a shoaling fish, so keep it singly, or as a pair if space is generous. Its temperament is calm toward fish it cannot eat, but small tankmates are at risk, so stock only larger, peaceful species and choose them with care. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, chopped prawn, mussel and earthworms in the evening. Being a strong swimmer from flowing water, it appreciates current and an open floor, so give it a tank of around 400 liters or more.

In the wild

Despite the name southern tandan, this catfish comes from central and southern New Guinea, where it lives in clear, fast-flowing hill streams and deep rocky pools. Match that with warm water, about 21 to 28 C, near pH 6.5 to 7.8, and give it brisk, well-filtered flow rather than still water. A floor of sand and water-worn rock, large stones for shelter and sturdy wood recreate its rocky-stream home.

Good to know

Neosilurus equinus is a member of the eel-tailed catfish family Plotosidae and grows to roughly 37 centimeters. It is a bottom-dwelling carnivore of upland streams, adapted to swift, oxygen-rich water. Breeding is not recorded in aquaria. Like all plotosids it carries serrated spines in the dorsal and pectoral fins that can deliver a painful venomous sting, so it should be handled with care and never grabbed by hand.

Did you know

For a fish called the southern tandan, it lives well to the north, in the hill streams of New Guinea, where it can push up fast rocky torrents and climb small waterfalls to reach the headwaters.

Common questions

Related species

• Yellow eel-tail catfish

  Neosilurus hyrtlii

  Freshwater

  13.4 in (34 cm)106 gal (400 L)70–82°F (21–28°C)
• Soft-spined tandan

  Neosilurus mollespiculum

  Freshwater

  17.3 in (44 cm)106 gal (400 L)70–82°F (21–28°C)
• Narrow-fronted tandan

  Neosilurus ater

  Freshwater

  17.7 in (45 cm)119 gal (450 L)70–82°F (21–28°C)
• Short-finned tandan

  Neosilurus brevidorsalis

  Freshwater

  9.4 in (24 cm)79 gal (300 L)70–82°F (21–28°C)

• 

  Marbled tandanus catfish

  Tandanus tandanus

  Freshwater

  31.5 in (80 cm)185 gal (700 L)61–79°F (16–26°C)

• 

  Senegal bichir

  Polypterus senegalus

  Freshwater

  13.8 in (35 cm)143 gal (540 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)