TankBud

Whiptail catfish

Rineloricaria sp.

Also known as Red Lizard Catfish, Red Lizard Whiptail Cat

FreshwaterFish

Whiptail catfish (Rineloricaria sp.)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
4.3 in
11 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Loricariidae
Origin
no natural occurrence

Overview

The whiptail catfish is a peaceful, slender bottom dweller for a calm community tank. It is a reasonable step up from beginner fish.

Did you know

A male whiptail catfish fans the eggs with his fins to keep fresh water moving over them. He keeps this up until they hatch, which is part of why getting a pair to spawn and raise young is tricky.

Caring for the whiptail catfish

Give whiptail catfish at least 20 gal (75 L), with sand or fine gravel, plenty of driftwood and lots of hiding spots. They rest on the wood or the substrate for most of the day.

Keep the water clean, well oxygenated and soft, slightly acidic to neutral. Hold it at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.

They graze for algae, biofilm and bits of food. Feed algae wafers, sinking pellets and blanched vegetables like zucchini, with occasional protein.

Whiptail catfish are peaceful and safe with community tank mates. They do well in small groups but are fine alone too.

They are egg layers, and the male guards and tends the eggs until they hatch. The clutch is often laid inside a tube or crevice. Spawning them is hard.

Good to know

Whiptail catfish belong to Loricariidae, the suckermouth catfish family. They have the long, slender bodies and trailing tail filaments their name suggests. Their armored plates and underslung mouth are typical loricariid traits.

In the wild

Whiptails in this group come from South American rivers and streams with sandy or muddy bottoms, submerged wood, and slow to moderate flow. The fish in the trade are often tank-bred lines rather than fish with a clear single origin.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The whiptail catfish is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a whiptail catfish need?

A whiptail catfish needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a whiptail catfish need?

A whiptail catfish is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a whiptail catfish eat?

A whiptail catfish grazes for algae, biofilm and bits of food. Feed it algae wafers, sinking pellets and blanched vegetables like zucchini, with occasional protein.

How big does a whiptail catfish get?

An adult whiptail catfish reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).

How does a whiptail catfish breed?

Whiptail catfish lay eggs, often inside a tube or crevice, and the male guards and tends them until they hatch. Spawning them is hard.

Related species