TankBud

Common woodcat

Trachelyopterus galeatus

Also known as Driftwood catfish, Common driftwood catfish, Parauchenipterus galeatus

FreshwaterFish

Common woodcat (Trachelyopterus galeatus)
Nathalia Kaluana Rodrigues da Costa, Roney Emanuel Costa de Paiva, Márcio Joaquim da Silva, Telton Pedro Anselmo Ramos, Sergio Maia Queiroz Lima · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
8.7 in
22 cm
Minimum tank
50 gal
190 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg layer
Rarity
Common
Family
Auchenipteridae
Origin
Widespread across northern South America, including the Amazon and Orinoco basins.

Overview

The common woodcat is an easy, hardy catfish that stays a manageable size. It lives near the bottom of a tank with plenty of wood, and it is easy to keep.

Did you know

A lone female common woodcat can suddenly produce fertile eggs long after any male is gone. She can carry live sperm inside her for weeks before she spawns.

Caring for the common woodcat

Give common woodcats a tank of at least 50 gal (190 L) with plenty of hollow driftwood and tight hollows. A soft floor and dim lighting suit them, since they are strongly nocturnal and shy of light. Do not expect to see much of them during the day.

Keep the water soft to neutral, at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed sinking pellets, frozen foods and meaty items after lights out, when they emerge in the dark.

The common woodcat does well in a group. It is mostly peaceful but will eat small fish and shrimp at night, so keep it with tank mates too big to swallow.

Woodcats mate through internal fertilization, which is unusual among catfish. The male passes sperm to the female through a modified anal fin, and she lays her eggs later.

Good to know

The common woodcat, Trachelyopterus galeatus, belongs to the auchenipterid driftwood catfishes. It was long known under the name Parauchenipterus galeatus, and it is also sold as the common driftwood catfish.

In the wild

The common woodcat is a widespread driftwood catfish of northern South America, including the Amazon and Orinoco basins. By day it jams itself into hollow logs, wood crevices and root tangles, then comes out to forage at night.

Common questions

What size tank does a common woodcat need?

A common woodcat needs at least 50 gal (190 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a common woodcat need?

A common woodcat is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a common woodcat eat?

A common woodcat eats sinking pellets, frozen foods and meaty items. Feed it after lights out.

How big does a common woodcat get?

An adult common woodcat reaches about 8.7 in (22 cm).

How does a common woodcat breed?

A common woodcat mates through internal fertilization, which is unusual among catfish. The male passes sperm through a modified anal fin, and the female lays her eggs later.

Related species