Three-striped African catfish

Care at a glance

Overview

The three-striped African catfish is a small, peaceful, constantly moving shoaler that lives in open water, not on the bottom, so it must be kept in a group of at least six. Kept alone or in twos it hides and refuses food, but in a proper shoal it darts about actively by day with its forked tail flicking. It is completely peaceful and suits a lively community of small, calm fish. Offer small foods that spread through the water, such as frozen bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp, and fine flakes or micro pellets. Give it open swimming space with some planting and gentle to moderate flow, around 75 liters or larger for a shoal.

In the wild

The three-striped African catfish comes from the rivers of West Africa, across the Niger basin through Nigeria, Niger, Benin, and Mali, where it shoals in warm, flowing, open water. Keep it from around 24 to 28 C with a pH between 6 and 7.5 and a gentle to moderate current, which suits its active swimming. A tank with open midwater space, some planting or driftwood around the sides, and clean, well-oxygenated water lets the shoal move naturally. A secure lid helps, as this lively fish can jump when startled.

Good to know

The three-striped African catfish is a member of Schilbeidae, the African glass or butter catfishes, and grows to around 8 cm. It has a slim, silvery, semi-transparent body marked with three dark horizontal stripes and a deeply forked tail that suits its restless swimming. Unlike most catfish here it has been bred in aquariums, though it is difficult, with a pair scattering up to about 100 eggs among plants in the early morning that hatch in roughly three days.

Did you know

The three-striped African catfish almost never stops swimming, flicking its deeply forked tail as it patrols open water in a tight group. Kept singly it turns shy and off its food, so a shoal is not optional but essential to its wellbeing.

Related species

• 

  Celebes rainbow

  Marosatherina ladigesi

  3.1 in (8 cm)25 gal (95 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Madagascar rainbowfish

  Bedotia madagascariensis

  3.3 in (8.5 cm)45 gal (170 L)73–90°F (23–32°C)

• 

  Peacock gudgeon

  Tateurndina ocellicauda

  3 in (7.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Striped glass catfish

  Kryptopterus macrocephalus

  3.5 in (9 cm)36 gal (135 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)

• 

  Dwarf rainbowfish

  Melanotaenia maccullochi

  2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Glass catfish

  Kryptopterus vitreolus

  2.8 in (7 cm)30 gal (115 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)